Sweden authorities boarded a ship on Monday after the Baltic Sea submarine communication cable was damaged a day before, and in connection with what was called “total obstruction.” Authorities have stated that the ship was escorted to the Swedish coast for investigation.
“It is thought that the Swedish economic zone was probably performed yesterday,” said Sweden prosecutor Matt Lync Visto in a Monday telephone interview.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the nature of the communication cable running between Sweden and Latvia.
The incident has recently become a potential hybrid war between NATO and Russia, following an attempt to other suspicious obstructions in the cable under the Baltic Sea.
Two weeks ago, the Atlantic Alliance began a new patrol and monitoring operation to protect Russia’s important infrastructure of the sea, where many cables were cut off.
The NATO mission, called the Baltic Sea St. Sea, aims to protect underwater cables and pipelines by strengthening the existence of alliance in this area. This operation includes frigate ships, maritime patrol aircraft, submarine satellites, remote control vehicles, and drones.
NATO, the latest member of Sweden, stated that the mission was “efforts to protect important underwater infrastructure and improve the ability to respond as needed.”
Allies suspect that Russia is behind the cable and pipeline obstruction, but regularly states that it is very difficult to prove the actual responsibility.
The Swedish Security Agency stated that a preliminary survey suggested that the Sunday case could be an effort to target Sweden’s profits. The security service is “suspected to have performed a sabotage”. A statement issued on Monday。
“Swedish authorities are now on a ship to carry out various investigations,” said Johann Wixstrom, a service spokesman.
Prosecutor Lyn Qvist said the seized ship was called Vesen.
Navigation Burgea, a Bulgarian shipping company List Vezhen Posted on a fleet as a bulk carrier with a Malta flag The statement of the website On Monday, he mentioned “a large -scale situation of power generated due to disadvantageous editomatic conditions in this area.”
The company said that there was no “information on the intentional behavior of the crew” that could lead to cables damage, and did not express the support to authorities in the survey.
Wixstrom said that the coastal guards on Sunday had escorted the ship to the Swedish coast. Currently, it is anchored outside Karl Skrona, the southern city of Sweden’s largest naval base and the coast guard headquarters.
Wixstrom has refused to provide other details on how to find the seized ships and the authorities discovering damage to the cable and the location.
NATO ships and aircraft responded to the reported damage and had been cooperating with local allies.
Latvian Prime Minister Shrimp Sirina said Social media posting Latvians, Swedish, and NATO authorities worked together to investigate the case, patrol the area, and examine ships. She added that the cable was damaged in the Swedish economic zone and the authorities have started a criminal investigation.
In late December, Finnish authorities seized oil tankers, suspected to cut the sea submarine cable, accused the ship as part of the Russian “Shadow Fleet”, and the western authorities avoided sanctions. I think it is used to do it. In response, NATO stated that it would increase local security, and the European Union threatened a new sanctions on Moscow.
In November, some European countries stopped Chinese commercial ships after two optical fiber cables were cut. The Minister of Defense in Germany explained that the cable was cut off in European countries, which supports Ukraine while fighting Russia, but the US Intelligence Rewelry Agency in the United States is intended. He said that it was not reduced.
In 2022, the explosion damaged a part of the node stream pipeline, stopping Russian natural gas supply to West Europe. American intelligence pointed out a group of parent Wenne, but many of the incidents remain ambiguous.
The damaged cable on Sunday belonged to Ratvian state -owned radio and television center. Statement from the center Sunday night.
The statement stated that the cable is more than 160 feet, so the center can judge the accurate nature of damage only after the repair work has begun.
Stephen Arranger Contributed to Berlin’s report.
