Undersea Cables Between Finland-Germany and Lithuania-Sweden Severed; Germany Suspects Sabotage

Nov 19, 2024, 05:23 AM

An undersea telecommunications cable linking Finland and Germany has been severed in what German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius described as a likely act of sabotage. The C-Lion1 submarine cable, Finland’s only direct link to Central Europe, was damaged on November 18, disrupting communications between the two countries. The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation has launched a probe into the incident, with authorities working alongside network operators to determine the cause. Pistorius stated, "No one believes that these cables were accidentally damaged. We also have to assume, without knowing it yet, that it was sabotage." In addition to the Finland-Germany cable, a second undersea communications cable connecting Lithuania and Sweden was reported damaged on Sunday, November 18, at around 10:00 a.m. Andrius Šemeškevičius, Chief Technology Officer at Telia, confirmed the incident, which reduced the company's bandwidth by 30%. Investigations are underway to determine if the incidents are connected. The damages have raised concerns about potential hybrid warfare tactics amid heightened tensions with Russia. European governments have accused Russia of intensifying hybrid attacks following the disruptions. The incidents underscore the vulnerability of critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea region.