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Latvia investigates ships after cable damage in Baltic Sea

Days after Finnish court detains Russian shadow tanker for cable sabotage, new damage to Latvia-Sweden undersea link triggers NATO investigation.

byOlena Mukhina

26/01/2025

2 minute read

A SU-24 barrel-rolled above the US Warship Donald Cook in the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea on 13 April 2016. Photo: snapshot from video

Latvia investigates ships after cable damage in Baltic Sea

On 26 January, an undersea fiber optic cable between Latvia and Sweden belonging to LVRTC, Latvia State Radio and Television Center, was damaged in the Baltic Sea, according to Deutsche Welle.

Following the start of Russia’s all-out war against Ukraine, a number of incidents in the Baltic Sea, damaging power cables, telecommunications links, and gas pipelines have been recorded since 2022. Earlier, NATO said it launched a Baltic Sentry security mission, deploying frigates, patrol aircraft, and naval drones in the area to help protect critical infrastructure.

“We have determined that there is most likely external damage and that it is significant,” Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina commented on the incident with the cable, which linked the Latvian town of Ventspils with Sweden’s Gotland island.

Silina also said that Latvia is working together with our Swedish Allies and NATO on investigating the incident, including inspecting the vessels that were in the area, adding that the cable was damaged in Sweden’s exclusive economic zone.

The Latvian Navy dispatched a patrol boat to investigate a vessel suspected of involvement in the incident, and two additional ships in the area are also being investigated.

Meanwhile, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also stated that Sweden is cooperating closely with Latvia and NATO on the matter.

“Given that the cable lies at a depth exceeding 50 meters (164 feet), the exact nature of the damage can only be determined once cable repair work begins,” LVRTC said in a statement.

Earlier, the Helsinki Maritime Court ordered a double arrest on the oil tanker Eagle S based on potential liability for damages. The vessel is suspected of damaging the Estlink 2 power cable and Elisa’s telecommunications cables on 25 December 2024.

Eagle S is part of Russia’s “shadow fleet,” which was created to bypass EU and G7 sanctions. This fleet comprises mostly aging tankers and cargo vessels. Russia uses these ships to deliver oil to customers like India and employs gray schemes, such as transferring oil between tankers, to obscure its origin.

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