Baltic Sea cable damage exposes security challenges
General Kaspars Pudans, the new commander of the Latvian armed forces, admitted that it is not possible to fully oversee the Baltic Sea's underwater infrastructure. This was in response to the recent damage to the fiber optic cable between Latvia and Gotland.
During the incident, which took place on Sunday, the transmission cable of the Latvian Radio and Television Center was damaged. At the time, there were about 70 ships in the area. General Pudans emphasized that over 2,000 vessels can be on the Baltic at the same time, making control difficult.
"Currently, anyone attempting to commit a crime over the vast area of the Baltic Sea gains an advantage because there can be over 2,000 vessels on the sea at the same time," said the new commander of the Latvian armed forces on LTV television.
The Latvian armed forces have the right to inspect suspicious ships in the territorial waters of other countries. However, to respond effectively, changes in national and international regulations are needed. The general noted that even if cable cutting can be prevented, new methods of infrastructure destruction may emerge.
"Even if we find a solution to prevent cable cutting by dragging an anchor on the seabed, someone will come up with another way to destroy the infrastructure," assessed Pudans.
On Sunday, the Latvian navy checked the bulk carrier Michalis San, flying the Maltese flag. No suspicious activities or anchor damage were found. Other vessels that might be related to the incident are also being monitored.
The cable operator reported that the damage was located 164 feet deep 93 miles from Ventspils, in the Swedish economic zone. Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina stated, "We have determined that there is most likely external damage and that it is significant."
Swedish authorities have seized the Bulgarian bulk carrier Vezhen, suspected of sabotage. The ship is currently near Karlskrona. Photos published by Swedish media show one of the ship's anchor arms missing.
