Alexander Lott, a researcher at the Norwegian Centre for the Law of the Sea at the UiT – The Arctic University of Norway, describes that in the last 14 months, the submarine communication cables connecting Estonia, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Russia and Sweden in the Baltic Sea have been damaged nine times. In addition, a submerged electricity cable and a gas pipeline were also cut by a ship’s anchor. These incidents happened in three different events, all related to a foreign commercial ship dragging its anchor over more than a hundred kilometers on the seabed.
In December 2024, specifically on the 24th (hence Christmas Day), the ESTLINK 2 electric submarine cable, which connects Estonia and Finland, along with four data cables, was cut in Finland’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). While the Eagle S was dragging its anchor and sailing west, the Finnish Defense Forces and the Coast Guard intervened off Helsinki and Tallinn using a patrol ship and two helicopters in order to stop and board the Eagle S. This Cook Islands-flagged ship is part of Russia’s “shadow fleet”, used to circumvent sanctions. The ship was stopped just before it crossed the ESTLINK 1 power cable, the Baltic connector gas pipeline and other underwater cables.
Faced with such attacks, NATO is trying to find a response. Mark Rutte (NATO Secretary General), Alexander Stubb (President of Finland) and Kristen Michal (Prime Minister of Estonia) co-hosted the “Baltic Sea Allies Summit”1 which took place on January 14, 2025 in Finland’s capital, Helsinki.
During this meeting it was decided to go ahead with a new exercise specifically for the protection of submarine cables under the name “Baltic Sentry”. This response by the Atlantic Alliance makes it possible to strengthen its presence in the Baltic Sea and improve the Allies’ capabilities to respond to such destabilizing manoeuvres.
The incidents in the Baltic Sea highlight the growing geopolitical tensions in a context of strategic competition between Russia and the members of the Atlantic Alliance. NATO’s response includes consolidating its military presence and increasing cooperation with partner countries, reflecting the Alliance’s willingness to guarantee security and stability in the region.
Could these incidents move to the North Atlantic? Is Portugal prepared to prevent this type of destabilizing act, as a sovereign state, without waiting for the reactions of the Atlantic Alliance?
References:
Lott, A. (2024, December 31). Christmas Day Cable Cuts in the Baltic Sea https://www.ejiltalk.org/christmas-day-cable-cuts-in-the-baltic-sea/
NATO. (2025, January 14). NATO launches ‘Baltic Sentry’ to increase critical infrastructure security. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_232122.htm
Author:
Professor Céline Rodrigues, PhD student in International Relations, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, IPRI