The frequency of cable incidents in the Baltic Sea has been “exceptional” in recent years, said the director of the Finnish intelligence service (Supo) Juha Martelius, quoted by Reuters, reports News.bg.
According to him, countries have more effective methods of underwater sabotage than by dragging anchors - a theory often put forward as the cause of such damage.
The Baltic Sea remains in a state of heightened alert after a series of disruptions to power cables, telecommunications links and gas pipelines, which began after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In response to the increasing incidents, NATO announced in January that it would deploy frigates, patrol aircraft and drones to the region.
Finland recently released the oil tanker Eagle S, suspected of damaging a power cable and four communications cables in the Baltic Sea in late 2023. However, Finnish police have yet to present final conclusions from the investigation.
While calling the cable incidents a “minor problem”, Martelius stressed that their frequency in recent years is unprecedented. The greater concern, he said, is related to the activities of the so-called Russian shadow fleet – a network of ships used to transport oil, weapons and grain in violation of international sanctions.
"The biggest concern about the Baltic Sea is that the Russian shadow fleet operates there, providing Russia with military capabilities and the opportunity to sell energy to countries that continue to buy it," he pointed out.
According to an analysis by Supo, dozens of ships from the shadow fleet pass through the Gulf of Finland to Russian oil terminals every week. Russia's ability to circumvent energy sanctions is crucial to its economy.
"There are now so many of these ships in the Baltic that the likelihood of incidents occurring is significantly increased," Martelius commented, referring to potential damage to underwater infrastructure.
He warned that Western countries must take the threat to their critical underwater infrastructure seriously.
"I would like to distinguish anchor incidents from the real threat to underwater infrastructure. Saboteurs have far more effective methods of destruction than simply dragging anchors," he concluded.