NATO officials are investigating damage found Sunday to another undersea cable across the Baltic Sea, this time a communications link between NATO member states Sweden and Latvia.
The cause of the damage was not yet clear, but it is believed to have been carried out by a foreign group, Latvian officials announced at a press conference in Riga.
This damage comes after the undersea cables were targeted in the past months, which led to the investigation of whether this infrastructure is at risk.
A fiber optic cable from Latvia’s regional broadcaster LVRTC was damaged early Sunday in the waters between Ventspils, Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland.
The LVRTC said the damage was “extensive” but most users would not be affected. It said some customers may experience delays in data transfer speeds.
NATO has announced that ships and aircraft have been dispatched along with regional allies to investigate the scene, which is in Sweden’s economic zone.
“The presence of allies in the region makes it easier to respond in an organized way,” a NATO spokesman told dpa.
Investigators of the suspected sabotage attacks previously believed that the so-called “shadow” Russian ships were responsible for the damage caused by allowing the ship’s anchors to sink into the sea.
It is suspected that Moscow is targeting European countries that have supported Ukraine in defending itself during the nearly three-year war with Russia.
The Prime Minister of Latvia Evika Silina called a meeting of relevant ministries and services. Latvia is in contact with Sweden, other Baltic Sea countries and NATO to clarify the situation, he said.
Likewise, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said that Sweden, Latvia and NATO are working closely together on this issue.
The Latvian Navy analyzed the movement in the area and sent a patrol vessel to a ship that was near the scene of the damage. Nothing suspicious on board or damage to the anchor was found, said navy admiral Maris Polencs.
The inspected vessel was on its way to Russia and was awaiting permission to continue the voyage. Two other ships have been identified in the area of possible underwater infrastructure damage, according to a Latvian military statement.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, announced to X that he wants to discuss a better way to prevent and respond to mixed threats due to Russia’s campaign at a meeting with EU foreign ministers on Monday.
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