The Swedish security service has arrested a Maltese-flagged vessel as part of a sabotage operation to damage a cable in the Baltic Sea.
Points of attention
- Swedish security services have arrested a Maltese-flagged vessel for damaging an undersea cable in the Baltic Sea, leading to NATO intervention.
- NATO is coordinating efforts through the Baltic Watch mission to investigate the sabotage operation involving the submarine cable.
- The Prime Minister of Latvia is working with NATO to identify the circumstances of the incident and ensure collaboration among Baltic Sea countries.
- The vessel suspected of damaging the cable, Vezhen, has been taken to a Swedish naval base for further investigation.
- The incident highlights the importance of protecting undersea cables and the need for international cooperation in maintaining secure communication networks.
What is known about another sabotage with damage to an underwater cable in the Baltic Sea?
It is noted that damage to the underwater fiber optic cable laid between Sweden and Latvia was discovered on January 27.
According to the main version, the cable was damaged by external interference.
This forced NATO to send warships to the area where the damage was discovered.
"We are currently conducting a number of specific investigative measures, but I cannot go into details because the preliminary investigation has not yet been completed," said Senior Prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist.
NATO is coordinating ships and aircraft as part of a mission called Baltic Watch, which was launched in response to a series of incidents involving damage to undersea cables.
According to Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silini, the country's government is coordinating with NATO and other countries in the Baltic Sea region to clarify the circumstances of the incident.
"We determined that there is most likely external damage, and it is significant," Silinya emphasizes.
The Latvian Navy said it had sent a patrol boat to inspect the vessel. Two more vessels are also awaiting inspection.
What is known about Sweden's arrest of a vessel suspected of damaging a cable?
According to the tracking service MarineTraffic, the Maltese-flagged dry cargo ship Vezhen was detained by a Swedish vessel and escorted into Swedish waters on Sunday evening.
It anchored near the Swedish naval base in Karlskrona in southern Sweden.
