Baltic Sea cable damage triggers NATO operation "Baltic Guard"
NATO ships and aircraft have responded to the damage of an underwater cable in the Baltic Sea, informed NATO Maritime Command (MARCOM) spokesperson, Arlo Abrahamson.
NATO Maritime Command spokesperson Arlo Abrahamson conveyed that NATO ships and planes reacted to the events in the Baltic Sea, which occurred on Sunday morning. An underwater fibre optic cable between the western coast of Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland was damaged.
Abrahamson reported that allied ships and aircraft are "operating alongside regional allies to respond and investigate" cable damage.
Operation "Baltic Guard"
MARCOM is the central command of all NATO naval forces, located in Northwood, United Kingdom. NATO Allied Command Operations (ACO), which is responsible for planning and executing all Alliance operations, is currently conducting Operation "Baltic Guard" in the Baltic Sea to deter any attempts to damage critical underwater infrastructure.
Although the operation is a new initiative, NATO forces maintain a constant presence in the Baltic Sea, conducting regular patrols and joint exercises. Warships, submarines, and planes, supported by advanced maritime surveillance technology, monitor the waters across the region.
NATO countries are increasingly threatened by hybrid attacks, including submarine cable sabotage. NATO is currently working on a new strategy to protect critical seabed infrastructure.
Investigation of the damage and a new lead
Latvian and Swedish authorities are currently conducting an investigation into the damage to the fibre optic cable between Latvia and Sweden. The malfunction had no major impact on data transmission.
Meanwhile, on Monday, the owner of the Bulgarian shipping company Navigation Maritime Bulgare admitted that a Bulgarian ship, Vezhen, flying the Maltese flag, may have been responsible for the cable damage. The owner admitted that due to strong winds, the vessel dropped anchor, which could have damaged the cable.
The Swedish newspaper "Expressen" reported that the ship was seized by Swedish authorities. The Bulgarians assure that the malfunction was not caused by "malicious intent." Photos published by the newspaper show that the vessel has one of the anchors damaged. The container ship was supposed to be sailing from a Russian port.
