New Undersea Cable Broken Under 'NATO Lake'

An undersea cable break has occurred in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Gotland, Sweden, according to Swedish media reports.

The Swedish Police confirmed to Newsweek that it was investigating a "suspected cable break in the Baltic Sea within the Swedish economic zone."

Why It Matters

This incident is one of several in the last 16 months, in which including this break, approximately 12 undersea cables have been damaged or broken, and European authorities have suspected that the damage is the result of attacks.

The undersea cables span over 800,000 miles globally and NATO previously reported that they carry more than 99 percent of the world's data, including critical financial transactions. Damage to these cables could have significant consequences in terms of global economies and security.

As the damage is suspected to be the result of sabotage attempts, there have been suspicions that Russia is behind the attacks. Moscow has previously denied allegations of its involvement in the attacks.

What To Know

"The government is being kept informed by the relevant authorities who are investigating what has happened." Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

"We take all reports of possible damage to infrastructure in the Baltic Sea very seriously," he added.

The undersea cable reportedly runs between Finland and Germany, according to Swedish news outlet SVT News.

Cinia, the Finnish company that owns the cable, has said that this is the third time in a short period that this particular undersea cable has been damaged. The company said that the damage would not affect communications.

A spokesperson for the Swedish Coast Guard told Reuters that a coast guard vessel has been sent to the scene off the island of Gotland to investigate.

In January, Swedish authorities seized a ship suspected of having sabotaged a fiber-optic cable in the Baltic Sea but later said that "a combination of weather conditions and deficiencies in equipment and seamanship" led to that cable break.

In recent years, multiple undersea cable breaks in the Baltic Sea have raised suspicions of sabotage, heightening regional security concerns. Incidents involving internet, energy, and military communication cables have been reported, with Russia widely suspected of involvement.

In October 2023, damage to a key gas pipeline and communication cable between Finland and Estonia was linked to potential deliberate interference.

In response to the incidents, NATO has since increased its surveillance in the region by launching the "Baltic Sentry," frigates and maritime patrol aircraft that monitor activity and critical infrastructure.

The Baltic Sea is sometimes called the "NATO lake," following the accession of Finland and Sweden into the military alliance. With all coastal nations—except Russia—now NATO members, the alliance holds strategic control over the region, significantly restricting Moscow's naval and military operations there.

What People Are Saying

In a statement to Newsweek, the Swedish police said that they received the notification about the cable break late in the evening on February 20. They said: "The Swedish Police has opened a preliminary investigation into a suspected cable break in the Baltic Sea within the Swedish economic zone. The preliminary investigation into sabotage was opened so that the police can have access to the tools needed to clarify what happened. We are cooperating with the relevant authorities and have no further information to share at this time."

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the user Tomi, who often posts about the war in Ukraine, wrote: "And again! New cable break has occurred in the Baltic Sea off Gotland, reports Swedish TV4. Swedish Defense Forces confirms that it has received information about the matter. NATO ships are investigating the culprit."

What Happens Next

If Swedish authorities allege that Russia was involved in the cable break, it may escalate tensions between Moscow and allies in proximity of NATO Lake. NATO will likely further increase its patrols to prevent future instances in which undersea cables are damaged.

Update, 2/21/25, 10:57 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.