Damage to cables in the Baltic Sea was likely an accident rather than a result of deliberate Russian sabotage.
This perspective is gaining consensus among the intelligence agencies of Europe and the United States, according to The Washington Post, citing high-ranking officials from three countries involved in the investigations.
So far, officials have stated that the investigations have found no evidence suggesting that vessels dragging anchors across the seabed did so intentionally or under orders from Moscow.
The evidence collected indicates that the incidents were caused by "the inexperience of the crews" and poor maintenance of the vessels.
Finland's intelligence generally agrees with the conclusions of its allies' intelligence reports. Officially, the National Bureau of Investigation of Finland has stated that the investigation is still open, and it is too early to draw conclusions about the causes.
Over the past year and a half, four telecommunications cables have been damaged in the Baltic Sea — this occurred in October 2023, as well as in October and November 2024.
Among the damaged cables, two belonged to Elisa and connected Helsinki with Tallinn. The third, owned by Chinese CITIC Telecom, was also laid between Helsinki and Tallinn. The fourth cable that failed belongs to the Chinese company Cinia and connects Helsinki with Rostock (Germany).
The tanker Eagle S, which likely severed the EstLink 2 cable between Estonia and Finland in December 2024, has been detained by Finnish authorities, and several crew members have been prohibited from leaving the country.
The Russian authorities have officially denied any involvement in the incidents.
The vessel that damaged the cable in 2023 was owned by a Chinese company, prompting China to conduct its own investigation. The findings in Beijing concluded that the incident was accidental.
According to Finnish broadcaster Yle, NATO will deploy 10 ships to protect underwater cables in the Baltic Sea.