Northern European intelligence services have previously pointed to the use of Russian fishing boats for military purposes. Russian submarines have also been regularly spotted near high-tech cables.

The Finnish and German foreign ministers expressed their concern about the incident in the Baltic Sea. They warned of the dangers of hybrid warfare by malicious (state) actors. Although there is no direct evidence of sabotage, the authorities are considering the possibility.

Navo naval base

The 1,170km fibre-optic cable terminates in Rostock, where Navo has recently opened a new naval base. Russia has already protested against this. The debate on the protection of critical infrastructure has been reignited.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius believes the damage to the submarine cable was sabotage. ‘Nobody believes that these cables were cut accidentally.’ Lithuanian forces have since stepped up surveillance of their waters, as In addition to the cable between Finland and Germany, a cable between Sweden and Lithuania has also been cut.

Incidents

Submarine cables are a vital part of international communications. There have been several incidents in recent years, including the alleged cutting of submarine cables by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.

Of all global internet traffic, 97 per cent is carried by submarine cables. Internet traffic was not noticeably affected by the failure of the submarine cable between Finland and Germany.