Cable sabotage in Baltic raises questions over Russian involvement
President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, admitted that there is no certainty about who is responsible for cutting cables in the Baltic Sea. Local media suggest that the authorities may be covering up Russia's involvement.
President Stubb reported that five instances of cable cuts in the Baltic over the last 15 months are not coincidental. However, there is "no absolute certainty" regarding the perpetrator.
During a press conference, President Stubb emphasized that although there are suspicions, these cases differ from one another.
- Confirming the identity of the perpetrator is important but not crucial, - he noted. He added that it is more important to prevent such situations in the future and to quickly respond to potential damage.
The head of the Finnish counterintelligence agency, Juha Martelius, admitted that a state entity could be behind the incidents. However, he emphasized in an interview with MTV, "the ultimate clarification of this issue from a legal standpoint may be unfeasible."
Media: Authorities are "covering up" Russia's role
The newspaper "Iltalehti" reports that Finnish authorities have changed their narrative regarding the damage to cables in the Gulf of Finland. Initially, the role of the Russian tanker Eagle S was highlighted, but a lack of evidence of a Russian operation shifted the focus of the investigation.
According to information from the newspaper, the Americans "made a deal" and are said to have persuaded Russia to stop sabotage in the Baltic in exchange for NATO countries recognizing the damage to undersea cables as "accidents or unexplained crimes."
In the background—writes "Iltalehti"—are peace talks regarding Ukraine, aimed at ensuring that the situation in the Baltic does not become part of these negotiations.
The former head of Finnish military intelligence, Pekka Toveri, now a European Parliament member, does not rule out such a scenario. "Let's say, I don't consider such a scenario impossible," he commented.
