Estonian radio and television station ERR reported that several pipelines, power cables and internet cables have been damaged in the Baltic Sea over the past 18 months, mainly connecting Finland to other countries, including Estonia, Sweden and Germany. She recalled that the last similar incident occurred on December 25, 2024.
“In at least two cases, damage to the cables was caused by falling anchors dragged by ships. These are suspected to be sabotage operations, but this is difficult to prove and this could be a sign of hybrid warfare. Typical,” we wrote on our website. . The authors of the document said the vessels involved in these incidents fly the flags of Hong Kong, China and the Cook Islands and have ties to Russia.
Expert: Incidents in the Baltic Sea similar to the Taiwan Strait
Hanso pointed out that these incidents are not unique. By his calculations, in recent years alone, more than 30 fiber-optic cables connecting Taiwan to neighboring islands have been cut, potentially intentionally, by Chinese ships. The last such event was recorded on January 3, 2025.
According to Estonian experts, what links the events in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea is their frequency, the geopolitical tensions in both regions, and the fact that they had a direct impact on national security and communications infrastructure. .
Cables will be cut in the Taiwan Strait and Baltic Sea. China is stepping up hybrid tactics
“Judging by the frequency of such incidents in the Taiwan Strait from 2017 to 2022 and in the Baltic Sea from 2023, the tactic appears to have spread from the Taiwan Strait to the Baltic Sea,” the researchers said. Explained.
Will Moscow and Beijing cooperate? According to Reuters, China is believed to be tacitly supporting Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, although it has not said so publicly.
“However, there is evidence that these countries are active in other waters. Last October, the Chinese Coast Guard fleet entered the Arctic Ocean for the first time as part of a joint patrol with the Russian side,” the agency said.
Cable is damaged. Changes in maritime regulations are up to China
After the EstLink 2 power cable was damaged in December, several countries, including Estonia, Finland and Lithuania, proposed changes to international maritime regulations to prevent further accidents. But experts say this will be extremely difficult as it would require the consent of other countries, including Russia and China.
“South China Sea countries may want to prioritize economic relations with China over security,” said Thomas Hanso.
“Every country in the region probably wants safer submarine cables because they constitute critical infrastructure,” he said. “But every country in the region also needs to consider its relationship with China. There is,” he said.
So far, NATO countries in the Baltic Sea region have agreed to establish the Baltic Sea Guard to protect undersea pipelines, power and communications cables.
Russia wants chaos in the Baltic states. “Return to Hard Power”/INTERIA.PL
