The Norwegian prime minister has expressed serious concern over recent cable breaks in the Baltic Sea, suggesting the possibility of deliberate sabotage. Speaking to local media on Monday, Jonas Gahr Store described the incidents as “very serious and worrying,” highlighting the potential of a hybrid threat targeting critical infrastructure.
Norway, with its extensive coastline and crucial undersea assets, is closely monitoring developments and maintaining contact with Finnish and Estonian authorities. “The possibility of sabotage underscores the importance of robust preparedness in Norway,” Store emphasized, citing the nation’s gas export and fiber cable infrastructure as key areas of vulnerability.
The incidents add to a troubling pattern of undersea disruptions in the Baltic Sea. Finnish investigators recently boarded the Eagle S, a vessel linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” suspected of damaging an electrical cable and four telecommunications cables between Finland and Estonia on Christmas Day. Other recent incidents include the October shutdown of a Finnish-Estonian gas pipeline, reportedly damaged by a Chinese cargo ship’s anchor, and the severing of cables linking Sweden, Denmark, Lithuania, and Germany.
European officials suspect sabotage, potentially tied to the ongoing geopolitical tensions stemming from Russia’s war on Ukraine. While the Kremlin has dismissed these claims as “absurd,” the unresolved Nord Stream pipeline explosions of 2022 highlight the region’s vulnerability to undersea attacks. As investigations continue, Baltic nations remain on high alert, emphasizing the growing threat to critical infrastructure in an increasingly tense geopolitical landscape.
