Internet cables and satellites targeted Asymmetric retaliation against the West?

After two internet cables were damaged in the Baltic Sea, the Danish navy brings up a Chinese ship. Russia is also said to have disrupted six satellites: Experts warn of asymmetric war.

First two internet cables on the Baltic Sea are damaged, then no fewer than six European satellites are disrupted. Politicians speak openly of sabotage - and an ex-general warns that Moscow believes it is at war with the West.

But first things first: The accumulation of unusual events begins on Sunday, November 17, 2024. At 9 a.m., around eight kilometers off the island of Gotland, an internet cable belonging to the company Arelion is torn. "We discovered it as soon as it happened," CEO Mattias Fridström told Swedish broadcaster SVT. "The second it happens, an alarm is triggered in our system."

"Nobody believes it was an accident"Two Baltic Sea cables disrupted at once - Berlin suspects sabotage

Less than 20 hours later, the next cable was hit: at 3 a.m. on Monday morning, the connection between Helsinki and Rostock, which the Finnish company Cinia had laid through the Baltic Sea to Germany, was cut. SVT reported on Monday that the authorities were investigating - and already had a suspect in mind.

Danish navy apparently stops Chinese ship

A comparison with publicly available movement data has revealed that a ship from China was in the vicinity of the cables at the time in question. The possible perpetrator is being shadowed by the Danish navy, the report continues. The information soon turns out to be correct.

Copenhagen ordered the frigate HDMS Hvidbjoernen and the patrol boat P525 onto the track of the suspicious freighter. The Yi Peng 3 had left its anchorage near St. Petersburg on November 15 and was on its way to Port Said in Egypt. On the evening of November 19, the Danish navy struck, according to "Defense 24".

The Yi Peng 3 is therefore moored near the Great Belt and is now anchored in the Kattegat - with P525 standing guard right next to it. According to Norwegian broadcaster NRK, China denies being involved in any sabotage. It is unclear what will happen to the ship. The Kremlin has also denied any involvement.

"Russia sabotages six European satellites"

"It is quite absurd to continuously make accusations without substance against Russia," the state news agency Tass quoted Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying. "Because it is Ukraine that is carrying out terrorist sabotage in the Baltic Sea." Peskov is alluding to the Nord Stream pipeline, which was apparently blown up by a commando controlled by Kiev.

There is a reason for the Scandinavians' mistrust: in October 2023, the Chinese ship Newnew Polar Bear damaged the Balticconnector gas pipeline with its anchor. However, an accident involving an anchor can be ruled out in the current case because the internet cables are located at a depth of around 170 meters.

But it is not only underwater that the critical infrastructure causes problems. Technology is also being disrupted above the sky: "Russia sabotages six European satellites", reports the Dutch newspaper "Nieuwsuur". This involves various incidents that are said to have begun on 16 March.

Russian propaganda on BabyTV

At that time, the children's program on KPN was interrupted. According to "Nieuwsuur", a disturbing image was shown for an hour without anyone noticing. The matter was only noticed months later. At the same time, however, the transmission of the Ukrainian television station FreedomTV was also interrupted.

Instead of the regular program, a Russian propaganda video was shown. Russia is said to have achieved this through a "signal hijacking attack" on a Eutelsat satellite. Russian propaganda was shown on the BabyTV channel on March 28 and April 17.

Experts suspect that the BabyTV outage was collateral damage and that a Ukrainian channel was actually the target of the attack. At least four satellites from the French company Eutelsat and one from the Luxembourg-based company SES were affected. Interfering with satellites is prohibited, but there are no sanctions.

"The Russians think they are at war with us"

"It's unfortunate that something like this is happening," says Patrick Bolder from The Hague Center for Strategic Studies (HCSS) "Nieuwsuur". "It shows that we are not resilient. We are not sufficiently aware of our vulnerability." The Finnish Minister of Defense echoes this sentiment.

"NATO and the EU must do much more to protect critical infrastructure," Antti Häkkänen told Politico."We know that Russia has the capacity and the will to carry out sabotage in Europe." The former commander of US troops in Europe agrees. "I think the Russians think they are at war with us," Ben Hodges tells the Kyiv Post.

"The fact is: they are at war with us," says the former lieutenant general. "Just not in the traditional sense of kinetic. Ships, tanks, planes - that kind of thing." The 66-year-old speaks of asymmetric warfare. Hodges warns that the West must realize this and adapt to such threats.