Bulgarian cargo ship under scrutiny for Baltic cable damage
The underwater cable in the Baltic Sea may have been damaged by a Bulgarian cargo ship, raising suspicions of a "sabotage act." The investigation will examine whether an anchor played a role in the incident. The vessel had previously docked in a Russian port.
The cargo ship Vezhen, which may have damaged the underwater cable running between Sweden and Latvia on Saturday, is operated by Navigation Maritime Bulgare. According to the Bulgarian company, the damage was not deliberate. This information was provided by Reuters, citing Aleksandar Kalchev, head of the Bulgarian transport company. NATO naval forces promptly responded to the destruction of the underwater cable in the Baltic, as reported by MARCOM, the central command of all NATO naval forces, located in Northwood, UK.
Ship suspected of sabotage set sail from a Russian port
The Bulgarian ship Vezhen, suspected of trying to destroy the underwater cable connection between Latvia and Sweden, was flying the Maltese flag and set sail from the Russian port. It is currently anchored near Karlskrona, off the southeastern coast of Sweden, after Swedish authorities boarded it on Saturday evening. In photos, one of the anchors pulled up is missing an arm, suggesting it could have been torn off. It's also possible that the damage resulted from an accidental event due to challenging weather conditions in the Baltic Sea.
The head of the Bulgarian transport company – as reported by Reuters – explained that it is possible one of the anchors dropped due to strong winds and struck the fibre optic cable. On Sunday evening Eastern Time, Swedish authorities announced that they had launched an investigation into the destruction of the underwater cable connection between Latvia and the island of Gotland, suspecting a "sabotage act."
NATO maintains a consistent presence in the Baltic Sea
On Tuesday Eastern Time, as part of the NATO Baltic Sentry operation, the Swedish Armed Forces dispatched, among others, the corvette HMS Visby to monitor the Baltic Sea. NATO countries have taken additional measures due to previous incidents involving the cutting of underwater cables, suspected to be caused by ships from the so-called Russian shadow fleet or Chinese units. "NATO ships and aircrafts are working together with national resources from the Baltic Sea countries to investigate and, if necessary, take action," stated NATO Naval Command (MARCOM) spokesman Arlo Abrahamson.
General Christopher G. Cavoli, the commanding officer of NATO in Europe, as quoted by PAP, emphasized that the Baltic Sentry operation aims to effectively deter destabilizing actions observed in recent months. This operation responds to incidents from December 25 and the damage to underwater cables connecting Estonia and Finland. Although Baltic Sentry is a new operation, NATO units consistently patrol and conduct exercises in the Baltic Sea. Composed of warships, submarines, and aircraft supported by modern surveillance technology, NATO forces continuously ensure the security of waters throughout the region.
Hybrid attacks and sabotage of marine infrastructure are a real challenge for NATO
As reported by Reuters, at NATO headquarters in Brussels and in member states, there is a strong belief that protecting critical underwater infrastructure requires special attention. Russia has long been developing technologically advanced underwater research programs that effectively map NATO's critical infrastructure, as noted by a senior official in an interview with a group of journalists.
As part of this program, Russia employs specialized water units, including submarines and drones, capable of damaging cables or placing explosive charges near pipelines. In response, NATO has established Baltic Sentry in the UK, a new command dedicated to protecting this infrastructure.
