Underwater Cable Incidents in the Baltic Sea: Accident or Sabotage?
Sabotage in the Baltic: Data cables cut between Finland and Germany
On Monday, a key underwater cable with Finland, the C-Lion1, was cut in what Germany has described as an act of sabotage. This cable, buried nearly a meter below the seabed and essential for telecommunications, now lies damaged. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius pointed out that the damage is unlikely to be accidental and suggested it is a malicious act.
The cutting of C-Lion1 comes shortly after a similar incident on Sunday, where a cable between Lithuania and the Swedish island of Gotland also suffered damage. These events bring back memories of the mysterious sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline in 2022, raising concerns about security in the Baltic Sea.
Growing tension between Europe and Russia
The Baltic Sea, a region already tense due to the war in Ukraine, is once again at the center of disputes. Although Europe has not directly blamed Russia, many European countries, including Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, issued a joint statement accusing Moscow of attacking the continent’s security architecture. These incidents reinforce the perception of Russia’s hybrid strategy to destabilize the region.
Changes in Russian nuclear doctrine
Amid high tension, Russia has updated its nuclear doctrine, lowering the threshold for the use of these weapons. The new document, released this week, includes broader scenarios justifying their use, such as attacks from non-nuclear countries with the support of nuclear powers.
International experts, like Hans Kristensen, have highlighted the alarming nature of this update. The flexibility of these rules suggests an increased risk of escalation in future conflicts. This change coincides with the announcement by the United States, allowing Ukraine to use long-range missiles for attacks within Russia, further escalating tensions between the two powers.
