Germany suspects deliberate sabotage to undersea cables
Date
11/23/2024 2:30:52 AM
(MENAFN) German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated on Tuesday that the recent severing of two internet cables under the Baltic Sea, connecting NATO countries, seems to be a deliberate act of sabotage. The cables were cut on Sunday and Monday, adding to a series of similar incidents in the region over the past year. Although Finland and Estonia initially blamed Russia for a previous breakage, it was later revealed that a Chinese cargo ship's anchor was responsible.
Speaking at an EU ministerial meeting in Brussels, Pistorius said it’s clear that these cables were not severed by accident, indicating a hybrid attack, though the perpetrator remains unidentified. He emphasized that there are strong signs of intentional damage. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen also expressed concerns, highlighting how such incidents point to the growing instability in the region.
On Monday, Finland's Cinia reported damage to its C-Lion1 cable, which connects Helsinki to Rostock, Germany. The damage occurred in Swedish waters, away from main shipping routes, and Cinia suspects anchor damage, though the cause has not been confirmed. The C-Lion1 cable is near the Nord Stream pipelines, which were destroyed in September 2022 by underwater explosions.
Additionally, another cable, the BCS East-West-Interlink linking Lithuania to Sweden, was also severely damaged on Sunday, though its cause remains unknown. Russian official Nikolay Patrushev recently claimed that the US and UK may be considering attacks on undersea infrastructure, including fiber optic cables.
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