Europe on Alert Over Suspected Sabotage of Undersea Cables

European nations have heightened security after a series of suspected sabotage attacks on submarine infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, with officials increasingly pointing to Russia as the likely culprit.

Finnish authorities detained the tanker Eagle S in December after it allegedly damaged three undersea fiber-optic connections with Estonia and one with Germany. The vessel, carrying Russian oil as part of a 'shadow fleet' evading sanctions, made suspicious course changes while crossing cable routes.

In November, two more submarine cables in the Baltic were damaged, with investigations focusing on Chinese-owned cargo ship Yi Peng 3, which reduced speed near the cables and turned off its transponder. NATO launched Baltic Sentry in January to enhance surveillance, deploying ships and naval drones off Estonia's coast. The alliance also established a coordination cell following the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage.

Russia has denied involvement, accusing NATO of using 'myths' to increase its Baltic presence.

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