RIGA/STOCKHOLM (dpa-AFX) – The Swedish public prosecutor’s office is investigating alleged “serious sabotage” after a Baltic Sea cable was damaged and has arrested a suspicious ship. Police, coast guard and the Swedish armed forces are working intensively on the preliminary investigation, prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist said in a statement in the evening.
It was not initially officially confirmed which flag the arrested ship was sailing under. According to Swedish media, a Maltese-flagged freighter is being investigated near the city of Karlskrona. He had previously driven from Russia towards Denmark.
The data cable between Sweden and Latvia in the maritime area between Ventspils and Gotland was damaged early in the morning and is used by the Latvian State Radio and Television Center. Both states are investigating the incident together with NATO. “The Allies’ presence in the region enables a rapid and coordinated response,” a NATO spokesman told the German Press Agency.
In recent weeks, suspected acts of sabotage by the so-called Russian shadow fleet on cables and lines in the Baltic Sea have repeatedly caused a stir. The damage is said to have been caused intentionally by ship anchors. Russia has been waging a war of aggression against Ukraine for almost three years.
Latvian Navy inspects ship heading to Russia
Before the report from Sweden, the Latvian Navy had sent a patrol ship to a ship that was near the site of the damage. No suspicious activity or damage to the anchor was found, said Marine Chief Maris Polencs. The inspected ship is on its way to Russia and is waiting for the next clearance to continue its journey. The Latvian armed forces said two more ships were identified in the area of damage.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced on
The cause of the cable damage is still unclear. The damage is in Sweden’s exclusive economic zone, it was announced during a press conference in Latvia. The Latvian Radio and Television Center reported the cable was “significantly” damaged. The damage has no impact on the data transfer of Latvian end users.
Latvia’s Prime Minister Evika Silina called a meeting of the relevant ministries and services. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson wrote on X that Sweden, Latvia and NATO were working closely together on this matter./mj/DP/zb