Russian ship repairs cable in Finland amid Baltic tensions
In the Gulf of Finland, a Russian ship has begun repair work on a damaged cable belonging to a Russian operator, according to a report from the Finnish Coast Guard on Saturday. The repair is being carried out in Finland's exclusive economic zone.
The situation is under surveillance, and a patrol vessel has been sent to the area, the statement noted, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that the repair complies with the regulations governing the use of the zone.
Finnish authorities have been aware of the cable repair work for some time and have given the Russian side permission to proceed. However, the STT agency reported that no detailed information has been provided about the damage or its time of occurrence.
A series of failures in the Baltic Sea
Cable and pipeline failures on the Baltic Sea floor have become a significant issue amid the hybrid warfare conducted by Russia against the West. As reported in January, there are about 30 international cables on the Baltic Sea floor, which are crucial for security, power bridges, and telecommunications connections. Additionally, there are six gas pipelines.
The damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline in the fall of 2023, as well as the earlier incidents involving the Nord Stream lines, the severing of telecommunications cables, and the EstLink 2 power bridge at the end of December last year, are just some examples of suspicious "incidents" in the Baltic Sea.
In mid-January, NATO's naval forces command announced the dispatch of two initial ships to the Gulf of Finland as part of the new Baltic Sentry mission established during a meeting of Alliance representatives in Helsinki. These ships are meant to monitor the cables on the Baltic Sea floor.
