“External activity” damaged a gas pipeline and a communications cable between Finland and Estonia, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö said on Tuesday in a statement on X. The exact cause of the damage is still being investigated, but Niinistö’s statement suggests that there was sabotage.
The Balticconnector pipeline was closed on Sunday after the pressure suddenly dropped. This means no more gas flows through it. The leak has now been found on the Finnish side of the water, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said, according to the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti. “The preliminary assessment is that the damage cannot have occurred as a result of normal use or pressure fluctuations.”
It will take months for the damage to be repaired, Finnish authorities said at a press conference. They emphasized that Finland’s gas supply and internet connection are not in danger. The Finnish authorities did not yet want to speculate about a possible perpetrator.
The leak is reminiscent of the explosions of the Nord Stream pipelines, which were blown up a year ago. It is still unclear who was behind those explosions, but several parties point to Ukraine.
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