According to Swedish national television, on October 17th local time, Swedish Defense Minister Pol Ronson and Civil Defense Minister Carl Oscar Bolin stated at a press conference that an underwater communication cable connecting Sweden and Estonia was damaged earlier this month, and the reason is not yet clear. The relevant countries will cooperate in an investigation.
Bolin stated that the damage occurred outside Sweden's territorial waters and exclusive economic zone, with only partial damage to the communication cable and no damage to the entire line. We are currently unable to assess the specific cause of the damage. However, we can confirm that the time of this damage is very close to the previously reported damage to the natural gas pipeline and communication cable between Estonia and Finland
Bolin stated that the Swedish government will work closely with Estonia and Finland to investigate the cause of the damage.
A spokesperson for Swedish network service provider Arelion also confirmed to Reuters that a submarine communication cable was "partially damaged" and "we do not yet know what caused the damage. In the coming weeks, we will repair the cable based on weather conditions
Screenshots of a press conference held by Swedish Civil Defense Minister Bolin (left) and Defense Minister Rongsong
On October 8th, the natural gas pipeline "Baltic connector" and a communication cable between Finland and Estonia were damaged. Finnish officials stated that the damage is likely caused by "external activities" and cannot be ruled out as being related to "state actors".
Estonian Prime Minister Kalas stated in an interview with Swedish national television on the 13th that the investigation is ongoing. "I don't want to make any guesses at the moment, there are many possibilities for the situation to develop," he said
The damage to infrastructure under the Baltic Sea has also drawn NATO's attention. A NATO official told Reuters that they have learned of the damage to the communication cable between Sweden and Estonia and will maintain close contact with the two countries and monitor the development of the situation.
NATO has previously promised Finland and Estonia that if the damage to natural gas pipelines and communication cables is caused by an attack, NATO will respond with "unity and determination". Estonia has been a member of NATO since 2004, Finland joined NATO in April this year, and Sweden's application to join NATO has not yet been approved.
Swedish Prime Minister Christsson warned last week that the security of submarine communication cables, wires, and other infrastructure connecting countries in the Baltic Sea region faces potential risks. "They are absolutely the foundation of data transmission and are very fragile
Swedish Navy Commander Ewa Skoog Haslum stated that regulating activities in the Baltic Sea is a serious challenge. "The maritime situation is very tense. There is a lot of traffic on the surface, and everything that happens below the surface is' undeniable '. The challenge we face is to monitor activities in this water area