Significant Undersea Cable Damage in the Baltic Sea: Repairs Completed and Investigation Underway

Two weeks ago, two important communication cables were damaged in the Baltic Sea. One cable connected Lithuania and Sweden, while the other linked Germany and Finland. According to the Finnish state company Cinia, the repairs on the cable connecting Finland and Germany are now complete, restoring full connectivity.

The problem with the “C-Lion1” cable was discovered early on November 18, when it completely stopped functioning. A similar incident occurred the day before with the cable connecting Lithuania and Sweden. The Swedish company Arelion announced that its repair was finished on Thursday evening, restoring the connection between these two countries as well.

There are suspicions that Russia may have caused the damage to both cables, but the Kremlin has firmly denied this. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius suggested that the incidents could be acts of sabotage. The Wall Street Journal reported that a Chinese ship, “Yi Peng 3,” may have intentionally dragged its anchor over 160 kilometers in the Baltic Sea, damaging the cables in the process. An investigation is currently underway, involving collaboration between Finland, Sweden, and Lithuania.