WASHINGTON, January 19. /TASS/. US and European intel services have failed to find evidence of Russia's targeting undersea cabels at the bottom of the Baltic Sea, The Washington Post (WP) newspaper reported on Sunday.
An emerging consensus among the security services holds that raptures of undersea cables were caused by maritime accidents rather than sabotage, the WP wrote, citing senior officials from three countries involved in ongoing investigations.
The investigators have turned up no indication that commercial ships deliberately dragged anchors in the area where the submarine cables lay on Moscow’s instructions, the officials noted. According to them, the evidence gathered points to accidents caused by inexperienced crews serving aboard poorly maintained vessels. They cited "clear explanations" indicating a likelihood that the damage was accidental. One European official noted there is "counter evidence" suggesting that Russia was involved in the accident.
On December 25, 2024, the EstLink 2 power cable, connecting Finland’s energy grid with Estonia through the bottom of the Gulf of Finland, was suddenly damaged. Finland’s Fingrid company reported that its repairs would take several months. The country‘s police and border guards have detained the Cook Islands-flagged oil tanker Eagle S on suspicion of being involved in the accident. Later, the Postimees newspaper reported damage to three cables between the two countries, citing several Estonian companies.
NATO subsequently initiated the Baltic Sentry mission to protect submarine infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.