Media reports ‘no proof’ Russia behind Baltic Sea cable ruptures

(MENAFN) Western investigators have found no evidence connecting Russia to a series of ruptures in underwater cables in the Baltic Sea, despite earlier suspicions, The Wall Street Journal reported. Over the past year and a half, several incidents involving damage to communication and power cables prompted some NATO and EU officials to accuse Russia of engaging in sabotage and hybrid warfare. These incidents included a gas pipeline rupture in the Gulf of Finland and the damaging of the EstLink 2 power cable, both involving ships allegedly linked to Russia.

Although the incidents raised concerns, investigators have found no conclusive proof that Moscow orchestrated or ordered the damage. Russia has consistently denied these accusations, calling them baseless, and has dismissed claims of sabotage as part of a Western narrative. Moscow also criticized the accusations, arguing that such incidents could be attributed to routine accidents rather than deliberate actions.

In response to these concerns, NATO launched the 'Baltic Sentry' mission to patrol the region, though there is uncertainty about its effectiveness. NATO's presence in the Baltic has been described as mainly providing surveillance rather than direct security. The region's complex seabed, littered with wrecks and unexploded ordnance from past wars, is also cited as a contributing factor to the cable damage.

Further reports suggest that the cable ruptures were likely maritime accidents, involving poorly maintained ships and untrained crews, rather than deliberate acts of sabotage.

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