China On-site investigations into cable damage in the Baltic Sea completed

The investigations at the scene of the two damaged communication cables in the Baltic Sea have been completed. This was announced by various authorities involved from Sweden and Finland. The analysis of the material collected on site is ongoing, according to the Swedish police, among others, who continued to say that it could not be ruled out that the internet cables had been deliberately damaged. At present, the offense is therefore still classified as sabotage - but this could still change.

Just under a week and a half ago, two cables between Helsinki in Finland and Rostock and between Sweden and Lithuania were damaged within a short space of time in the Baltic Sea. Both cases occurred in Sweden's Exclusive Economic Zone and the cause is still unknown. Finland, Sweden and Lithuania have set up a joint investigation team.

The Chinese freighter "Yi Peng 3", which is said to have passed the locations of the cable breaks coming from a Russian port at the respective times, has aroused particular interest in recent days. The ship has been unchanged for days in the Kattegat between Denmark and Sweden, while patrol ships from Germany and other NATO states are with it. The freighter was not mentioned by name in the information provided by the authorities.

The cable damage was also discussed at a meeting of Nordic-Baltic heads of government in Sweden, most of whose countries also border the Baltic Sea. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was also invited. "I am not here to judge who is responsible for this act," Tusk said at a joint press conference when asked whether Russia could be responsible for the ship. "My private opinion is - but it is my private opinion - that if something looks like sabotage, then it is sabotage."

SDA