Sweden: Damage to telecommunications and energy infrastructure likely caused by sabotage

According to information published by Reuters, damage to a telecommunications cable in the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Estonia is linked to damage to a pipeline and cable between Estonia and Finland, the Swedish government said on Monday. Finnish investigators believe the act constitutes deliberate sabotage. Helsinki is leading the investigation into the pipeline incident, while Tallinn is focusing on the cable incident.

On 8 October, a subsea gas pipeline and telecommunications cable connecting Finland and Estonia were damaged. “It has been confirmed that the cable was damaged by external force or unauthorized interference,” Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin said.

Bohlin added that Estonia had assessed that the damage to the gas pipeline and communications cable between Finland and Estonia was linked to damage to the communications cable between Sweden and Estonia. The Swedish government has not yet provided further details about what might link the two incidents.

NATO responded promptly to the situation, strengthening patrols in the Baltic Sea to ensure the smooth flow of energy supplies across the wider Nordic region. A mine-clearing vessel was also deployed, and air surveillance was stepped up.

Finnish investigators say the damage discovered this month may have been an act of sabotage. However, they have not confirmed whether it was an accident or a deliberate act. The investigation into damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline and a nearby cable is currently focusing on the role of the Chinese container ship NewNew Polar Bear, Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation said.

Russia and China deny any involvement

A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry also responded to the unverified suspicions, calling for an “objective, fair and professional” investigation. The spokesperson added that the Chinese vessel was sailing normally in the area at the time.

Estonian investigators have nevertheless focused on two potential suspects. One is the NewNew Polar Bear, the other the Russian vessel Sevmorput. Russia, like China, has repeatedly denied involvement in the damage.

In 2022, the Nord Stream pipelines, which run through the Baltic Sea and connect Russia with Germany, were damaged by explosions. Authorities described them as deliberate acts of sabotage, although it remains unclear to this day who was behind the attack.