Sabotage Suspected as Key Internet Cables Between Finland, Sweden, and Europe Severed

Within a day of each other, two critical underwater fiber-optic cables—one connecting Finland to Germany and another linking Lithuania with Sweden—were severed under the Baltic Sea. Incidents of this nature are uncommon, and CNN has reported that such simultaneous damages, occurring about 65 miles apart, likely indicate an act of sabotage, according to German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

“It’s hard to believe these cuts were mere accidents,” Pistorius remarked. “We must accept, even without knowing the perpetrator, that this reflects a form of hybrid warfare, and likely an act of sabotage.” Echoing this sentiment, the foreign ministers of Finland and Germany released a joint statement highlighting the incident’s immediate suspicion of deliberate harm, underscoring the precariousness of current global politics. They further noted, “Not only is European security jeopardized by Russia’s aggressive war on Ukraine, but also by hybrid attacks from harmful entities.”

This suspected sabotage follows warnings from NATO a few months prior, suggesting Russia was plotting to disrupt global internet services by charting undersea cables for potential targeting. The situation grew more tense after the U.S. authorized Ukraine to employ American long-range weapons against targets in Russia’s Kursk region, escalating suspicions of Russian involvement in these underwater incidents.

This isn’t the first instance of such sabotage within NATO regions. During the Paris Olympic games, France experienced similar fiber-optic cable disruptions. Other forms of sabotage, including arson, cyberattacks, and bombings, have been reported across NATO countries in recent years.

Despite these disruptions, the impact on internet services has been relatively contained. Telia Lithuania, which oversees the Lithuania-Sweden connection, reported that although the cable carried roughly a third of Lithuania’s internet traffic, service was swiftly restored, pending repairs. Similarly, Cinia, responsible for the Finland-Germany cable, confirmed a disruption but noted their network’s design across multiple channels minimized the overall disturbance.

Western countries continue to fortify their submarine communication lines while distancing themselves from firms linked to adversarial nations like Russia and China. Maintaining open and secure channels is critical for coordination and response during conflicts. Effective communication can be the deciding factor between successfully repelling an attack or suffering overwhelming defeat due to mismanaged troop deployments.