NATO allies met on Dec. 30 to address the security of critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, following damage to undersea cables connecting Estonia and Finland several days earlier.
The Estlink 2, a 170-kilometer (106-mile) undersea power cable connecting Finland and Estonia, sustained significant damage on Christmas Day. Authorities are treating the incident as a potential act of sabotage.
At a press conference on Dec. 26, Finnish police announced that damage to the cable in the Gulf of Finland was likely caused by a Russian tanker suspected to be part of Moscow's so-called "shadow fleet." The shadow fleet refers to a network of ships allegedly used by Russia to bypass sanctions, such as those restricting oil sales.
The damaged cables, currently under investigation by Finnish authorities, are among several recent incidents in the Baltic Sea being examined as potential sabotage.
As a response to the incidents, NATO is increasing its military presence in the Baltic Sea to bolster vigilance, enhance situational awareness, and deter future threats. Allies are also exploring further measures to safeguard critical undersea infrastructure, leveraging support from NATO’s Maritime Centre for Security of Critical Undersea Infrastructure, established in May of this year.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has also raised concerns about the "shadow fleet" following recent damage to undersea cables across Europe.
"Almost every month, ships are currently damaging important undersea cables in the Baltic Sea," Baerbock told Germany’s Funke media group on Dec. 28. She described suspicious activities by ship crews, including dropping anchors and dragging them along the seabed for kilometers without explanation.
"Ship crews lower anchors into the water, drag them for kilometers across the seabed for no apparent reason, and then lose them when they pull them up," she said, adding that the string of incidents over recent months is unlikely to be coincidental.
Abbey Fenbert
