The interruption of the major power cable Estlink 2 was discovered at lunchtime on Christmas Day and is being investigated by the police. Damage to other communication cables running between Estonia and Finland has also been reported.
If several cables are damaged at the same time, then it is more likely that there is an external influence, says Hans Liwång, professor of defense systems at the Defense University, to Ekot at Sveriges Radio.
It may indeed be a matter of accidents caused by fishing gear or anchors, but Liwång simultaneously notes that there is a threat to the Baltic Sea.
Then we must actually consider the possibility that it is sabotage, a deliberate act that lies behind and not a mistake.
Shipping in the Baltic Sea has been affected by the sanctions against Russia, says Liwång. On the one hand, there are vessels sailing to Russian ports with much lower security awareness, and which are unaccustomed to trafficking the area. But the geopolitical tensions have also increased, and thus the risk of sabotage against NATO countries' infrastructure.
Both the risk of accidents and the risk of sabotage have increased in recent years, says Liwång.
