NATO is intensifying its efforts to safeguard undersea cables in the Baltic Sea, responding to mounting concerns over possible Russian sabotage and espionage.
On Thursday evening, Norwegian authorities seized a cargo ship with an all-Russian crew, the Silver Dania, on suspicion of being involved in the damage to an undersea telecommunications cable. The ship was detained in the northern port of Tromsø, Norway, after being escorted by a coast guard vessel, following a request from Latvian authorities and a ruling by a Norwegian court.
The Silver Dania was en route from Russia’s St. Petersburg to Murmansk when it was halted by police. Investigators suspect the ship’s involvement in the damage to a key telecoms cable connecting Latvia with Sweden’s Gotland Island. The incident occurred on Sunday, and Swedish prosecutors opened a preliminary investigation into potential sabotage, detaining another vessel, the Vezhen, which is also suspected of causing the rupture. The Vezhen’s Bulgarian owner claimed the damage might have been accidental, but denied any malicious intent.
This event is part of a troubling pattern of damage to undersea cables in the Baltic region, which has sparked fears of deliberate Russian interference. Over the past three months, there have been multiple cable disruptions, including damage to cables linking Lithuania and Sweden, Germany and Finland, and Estonia and Finland. Many of these incidents are believed to be connected to Russia’s “shadow fleet”—a network of aging tankers bypassing sanctions to continue generating revenue for Moscow.
In response, NATO has launched a new mission aimed at bolstering the protection of these vital communication lines. The alliance has deployed frigates, naval drones, and patrol aircraft to monitor the region and safeguard the cables from potential attacks.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte emphasized the alliance’s commitment to countering any threats to the undersea cables, warning adversaries that NATO will take decisive action. “We will do everything in our power to make sure that we fight back, are able to see what is happening and take the next steps to make sure that it doesn’t happen again. And our adversaries should know this,” he said.
With tensions rising over potential sabotage, NATO’s increased vigilance underscores the strategic importance of protecting undersea infrastructure, which plays a crucial role in global communications and security.
