- Cable incidents in the Baltic Sea have been “exceptional” in recent years.
- Finland’s intelligence chief downplays their significance, citing bigger concerns.
- Russia’s “shadow fleet” seen as a major security risk in the region.
- Western nations urged to protect critical underwater infrastructure.
The Baltic Sea has witnessed an “exceptional” rise in cable incidents in recent years. However, Finland’s intelligence chief, Juha Martelius, suggests that state actors have more effective methods of underwater sabotage than dragging anchors. Despite the frequent disruptions, he refers to them as “a secondary issue”, reports Reuters.
Heightened Security in the Region
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Baltic region has been on high alert. Power cables, telecom links, and gas pipelines have suffered unexplained outages, prompting NATO to strengthen its presence in the area with frigates, aircraft, and naval drones.
On Sunday, Finland released a vessel suspected of damaging a power cable and four data cables last year. While investigations continue, Finnish authorities have yet to draw conclusions regarding multiple ongoing cases.
The Shadow Fleet: A Bigger Threat?
Martelius highlighted a more pressing concern: Russia’s “shadow fleet.” These vessels allow Russia to bypass sanctions by transporting oil, arms, and grains.
“The biggest concern regarding the Baltic Sea is that Russia’s shadow fleet operates there and provides Russia with warfare capabilities by allowing Russia to sell energy to other countries that buy it,” he told Reuters.
Russia has dismissed Western sanctions on its energy sector as attempts to harm its economy and vowed to continue large-scale oil and gas projects. According to Finland’s intelligence agency Supo, dozens of shadow fleet vessels pass through the Gulf of Finland weekly, playing a crucial role in Russia’s economy.
A Real Threat to Underwater Infrastructure
With an increasing number of vessels operating in the Baltic, the likelihood of incidents such as cable breaches has risen. However, Martelius warned that Western nations should not overlook the broader threat posed to critical underwater infrastructure.
“I would like to separate the anchors, whatever is behind those incidents, from the fact that there is a real threat against underwater critical infrastructure,” he said. He further emphasized that state actors possess far more effective means to cause subsea destruction than dragging anchors.
As tensions in the region continue to escalate, security measures to protect vital underwater assets remain a priority for NATO and Baltic states.
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Source: Reuters
