NATO Enhances Its Presence in the Baltic Sea After Damage to Power and Internet Cables

NATO announced on Friday that it would enhance its presence in the Baltic Sea after suspicions that an undersea power cable and four internet lines were sabotaged earlier this week, while Estonia, a NATO member, launched a naval operation to protect another power cable.

On Thursday, Finland detained a ship carrying Russian oil, suspecting it caused the disruption of the undersea power cable “Estlink 2” linking Finland and Estonia, along with fiber optic lines. Finland has requested NATO support.

The Baltic States have declared a state of maximum alert due to repeated sabotage of energy, communications cables, and gas pipelines since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to Reuters.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb, in a press conference, said, “We agreed with Estonia, and also informed NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte of our desire to have a stronger NATO presence.”

Rutte confirmed that NATO would bolster its military presence in the Baltic Sea.

In Moscow, the Kremlin stated on Friday that Russia was not concerned about Finland detaining the ship carrying Russian oil. Russia has previously denied involvement in any incidents affecting infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.

Estonia, for its part, said its Navy had deployed forces to protect the “Estlink 1” cable, which is still operational.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna wrote on X on Friday: “If there is a threat to critical underwater infrastructure in our region, there will be a response.” He noted that damages to maritime facilities in the region “have become so frequent that it’s hard to believe all of them happen by accident or due to mismanagement.”

Electricity grid operators in both countries said that the power outage in the “Estlink 2” cable, which has a capacity of 658 megawatts, began at noon local time on Wednesday, leaving only the “Estlink 1” cable, with a capacity of 358 megawatts, connecting Finland and Estonia.

Finnish investigators suspect the detained ship, registered in the Cook Islands and named “Eagle S,” may have caused the cable disruption after its anchor dragged along the seabed.