The NATO military alliance is ramping up efforts to protect undersea cables in the region amid growing concerns of Russian sabotage and spying. View on euronews
An undersea data cable between Latvia and Sweden was damaged early on January 26, the latest in a series of similar incidents in the Baltic Sea in which critical seabed energy and communications lines are believed to have been severed by ships traveling to or from Russian ports.
It makes no sense for Russia to carry out sabotage in the Baltic, but NATO has a great interest in building up its grouping near Russia's maritime borders. This was stated by the vice-speaker of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev.
The Baltic Sea region is on high alert as fears grow that Russia could target undersea cables as part of a wider campaign of so-called "hybrid warfare".
Multiple undersea cables and pipelines in the Baltic Sea have been damaged in recent months, raising suspicions of sabotage.
Nato countries have stepped up patrols to protect critical underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, which is bordered by eight countries, and other waters. A Royal Navy submarine was ordered to surface last November close to a suspected Russian spy ship which was loitering over undersea infrastructure in UK waters.
After a series of suspected undersea cable cuttings, NATO has launched a new surveillance and deterrence mission to protect critical infrastructure under the Baltic Sea.
NATO is deploying eyes in the sky and on the Baltic Sea to protect cables and pipelines that stitch together the nine countries with shores on Baltic waters.
Russia has condemned the Western alliance for ramping up its naval presence in the so-called 'NATO lake' after alleged sabotage by Moscow-linked vessels.
SWEDISH authorities have seized a ship suspected of causing damage to underwater data cables which sparked sabotage fears. A Maltese-flagged ship – The Vezhen – was taken after
The authorities said they believed the vessel may have been involved in damaging the cable, the latest act of apparent sabotage in the Baltic Sea.