A key underwater cable connecting Latvia and Gotland has been damaged, as reported by the Latvian public broadcaster LSM. There are concerns that this damage might have been caused by external interference.
What Happened?
The damage was discovered on Sunday morning. The cable belongs to Latvia’s state-owned Radio and Television Center (LVRTC). Interestingly, the damaged part of the cable is located in the Swedish economic zone, making the issue relevant to both Latvia and Sweden.
Vineta Sprugaine, LVRTC’s communications director, stated that the cable appears to be seriously damaged. Despite this, LVRTC has confirmed that their services are still running by using alternative transmission routes.
NATO allies are investigating
The Latvian navy has been working with NATO allies, including Sweden, to investigate the incident. They have analyzed ship movements in the area where the damage occurred to identify possible causes or suspicious activity.
Latvia’s Prime Minister, Evika Siliņa, has called for a meeting with key ministers and officials to discuss the situation and decide on further actions.
A similar case happened recently
A few weeks ago, another underwater cable linking Finland and the Baltic states was damaged. In that case, there were suspicions of sabotage by Russia. This incident led to an increased presence of NATO ships in the Baltic Sea. Such events highlight how vulnerable underwater communication networks can be.
Why does this matter?
The exact cause of the damage is still unknown, but reports from LSM suggest it might have been caused by external factors. This raises concerns about whether the damage was intentional, such as sabotage, or accidental.
The Baltic Sea is becoming an area of growing geopolitical tension, especially because of its critical energy and communication infrastructure. Events like this show how fragile these systems are.
Latvian authorities, along with NATO and regional partners, are closely monitoring the situation. Investigations are ongoing, and more information will be shared as it becomes available.
