Norway releases Russian-crewed ship after cable damage
It was the latest development in a series of suspected acts of sabotage that many officials believe form part of a Russian "hybrid war" against Western allies of Ukraine since Moscow launched its invasion in February 2022.
The Norway-flagged "Silver Dania" was sailing between Saint Petersburg and Murmansk when a Norwegian coastguard ship stopped it late Thursday off the coast of Tromso in northern Norway.
The seizure came after Sweden and Latvia said Sunday that a fibre-optic cable linking the Swedish island of Gotland to Ventspils in Latvia had been damaged -- the latest of several similar incidents in the Baltic in recent months.
"No findings have been made linking the ship to the act," police attorney Ronny Jorgensen said in a statement.
"The investigation will continue, but we see no reason for the ship to remain in Tromso any longer," he added.
Nations around the Baltic Sea have scrambled to bolster their defences over the suspected sabotage of undersea cables in recent months.
- 'Nothing wrong' -
The ship's owner rejected any wrongdoing as Norwegian police searched the ship and questioned the all-Russian crew, following a seizure request from Latvia.
Jorgensen, the police prosecutor, had said a crew member was suspected of involvement in the cable damage, which he described as "aggravated vandalism".
The Silver Dania is owned by Norwegian shipping company Silver Sea, whose chief Tormod Fossmark told AFP that "We sailed near Gotland... but we did not cast anchor.
"We did nothing wrong," he added. "Norwegian authorities have brought us into port to clear us of any involvement."
The Russian embassy in Oslo had told AFP by email that none of the sailors had been placed under arrest nor had they contacted the embassy for assistance.
- Bulgarian ship under investigation -
On Sunday, the Swedish coastguard seized a Bulgarian ship, the Malta-flagged "Vezhen", off Sweden's southeastern coast in connection with the same cable incident.
Swedish prosecutors have opened an investigation into "aggravated sabotage", and images of the vessel published by Swedish media appeared to show that one of its anchors had a broken arm.
Alexander Kalchev, CEO of Navibulgar, the Bulgarian maritime shipping company that operates the Vezhen, denied any involvement.
"I am convinced that we cannot say... that this was a malicious act," he said.
But prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist told Swedish news agency TT on Friday that he was confident the Vezhen was involved.
"I think I can say, on very solid grounds, that it is this ship that has damaged the cable," he said.
"Our work is continuing... The ship is still seized and there are various investigative measures being taken, including technical examinations," he said.
The incident is the latest in a series affecting cables in the Baltic Sea amid heightened tensions between Russia and the West since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Finland and Sweden, which both border the Baltic Sea, have dropped decades of military non-alignment to join NATO as concern about the region's security mounts.
Russia had warned both countries of repercussions if they joined the alliance.
In September 2022, a series of underwater blasts ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines that carried Russian gas to Europe. The cause is yet to be determined.
In October 2023, an undersea gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia was shut down after it was damaged by the anchor of a Chinese cargo ship.
In November 2024, two telecom cables in Swedish waters were severed, and on December 25, the Estlink 2 electricity cable and four telecom cables linking Finland and Estonia were damaged.
In response, NATO launched in mid-January a Baltic Sea patrol mission to secure critical underwater infrastructure.
Frigates, maritime patrol aircraft, submarines and drones are involved in the Baltic Sentry patrols.
phy/js/jj
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Hijacked satellites and orbiting space weapons: In the 21st century, space is the new battlefield
WASHINGTON (AP) — As Russia held its Victory Day parade this year, hackers backing the Kremlin hijacked an orbiting satellite that provides television service to Ukraine. Instead of normal programing, Ukrainian viewers saw parade footage beamed in from Moscow: waves of tanks, soldiers and weaponry. The message was meant to intimidate, and it was also an illustration that 21st century war is waged not just on land, sea and air but also in cyberspace and the reaches of outer space. Disabling a satellite could deal a devastating blow without a single bullet, and it can be done by targeting the satellite's security software or disrupting its ability to send or receive signals from Earth. 'If you can impede a satellite's ability to communicate, you can cause a significant disruption,' said Tom Pace, CEO of NetRise, a cybersecurity firm focused on protecting supply chains. He served in the Marines before working on cyber issues at the Department of Energy. 'Think about GPS,' he said. 'Imagine if a population lost that, and the confusion it would cause.' Satellites are the short-term challenge More than 12,000 operating satellites now orbit the planet, playing a critical role not just in broadcast communications but also in military operations, navigation systems like GPS, intelligence gathering and economic supply chains. They are also key to early launch-detection efforts, which can warn of approaching missiles. That makes them a significant national security vulnerability, and a prime target for anyone looking to undermine an adversary's economy or military readiness — or to deliver a psychological blow like the hackers supporting Russia did when they hijacked television signals to Ukraine. Hackers typically look for the weakest link in the software or hardware that supports a satellite or controls its communications with Earth. The actual orbiting device may be secure, but if it's running on outdated software, it can be easily exploited. As Russian forces invaded Ukraine in 2022, someone targeted Viasat, the U.S.-based satellite company used by Ukraine's government and military. The hack, which Kyiv blamed on Moscow, used malware to infect tens of thousands of modems, creating an outage affecting wide swaths of Europe. National security officials say Russia is developing a nuclear, space-based weapon designed to take out virtually every satellite in low-Earth orbit at once. The weapon would combine a physical attack that would ripple outward, destroying more satellites, while the nuclear component is used to fry their electronics. U.S. officials declassified information about the weapon after Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, issued a public warning about the technology. Turner has pushed for the Department of Defense to provide a classified briefing to lawmakers on the weapon, which, if deployed, would violate an international treaty prohibiting weapons of mass destruction in space. Turner said such a weapon could render low-Earth orbit unusable for satellites for as long as a year. If it were used, the effects would be devastating: potentially leaving the U.S. and its allies vulnerable to economic upheaval and even a nuclear attack. Russia and China also would lose satellites, though they are believed to be less reliant on the same kinds of satellites as the U.S. Turner compared the weapon, which is not yet ready for deployment, to Sputnik, the Russian satellite that launched the space age in 1957. 'If this anti-satellite nuclear weapon would be put in space, it would be the end of the space age,' Turner said. 'It should never be permitted to go into outer space. This is the Cuban Missile Crisis in space.' Mining the moon and beyond Valuable minerals and other materials found on the moon and in asteroids could lead to future conflicts as nations look to exploit new technologies and energy sources. Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy announced plans this month to send a small nuclear reactor to the moon, saying it's important that the U.S. do so before China or Russia. 'We're in a race to the moon, in a race with China to the moon,' Duffy said. 'To have a base on the moon, we need energy and some of the key locations on the moon. ... We want to get there first and claim that for America.' The moon is rich in a material known as helium 3, which scientists believe could be used in nuclear fusion to generate huge amounts of energy. While that technology is still decades away, control over the moon in the intervening years could determine which countries emerge as superpowers, according to Joseph Rooke, a London-based cybersecurity expert who has worked in the U.K. defense industry and is now director of risk insights at the firm Recorded Future. The end of the Cold War temporarily halted a lot of investments in space, but competition is likely to increase as the promise of mining the moon becomes a reality. 'This isn't sci-fi. It's quickly becoming a reality,' Rooke said. 'If you dominate Earth's energy needs, that's game over.' China and Russia have announced plans for their own nuclear plants on the moon in the coming years, while the U.S. is planning missions to the moon and Mars. Artificial intelligence is likely to speed up the competition, as is the demand for the energy that AI requires. Messages left with Russia's Embassy in Washington were not returned. Despite its steps into outer space, China opposes any extraterrestrial arms race, according to Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for China's Embassy in Washington. He said it is the U.S. that is threatening to militarize the final frontier. 'It has kept expanding military strength in space, created space military alliances, and attempted to turn space into a war zone,' Liu said. 'China urges the U.S. to stop spreading irresponsible rhetoric, stop expanding military build-up in space, and make due contribution to upholding the lasting peace and security in space.' What the US is doing about security in space Nations are scrambling to create their own rocket and space programs to exploit commercial prospects and ensure they aren't dependent on foreign satellites. It's an expensive and difficult proposition, as demonstrated last week when the first Australian-made rocket crashed after 14 seconds of flight. The U.S. Space Force was created in 2019 to protect American interests in space and to defend U.S. satellites from attacks from adversaries. The space service is far smaller than the more well-established services like the Army, Navy or Air Force, but it's growing, and the White House is expected to announce a location for its headquarters soon. Colorado and Alabama are both candidates. The U.S. military operates an unmanned space shuttle used to conduct classified military missions and research. The craft, known as the X-37B, recently returned to Earth after more than a year in orbit. The Space Force called access to space a vital national security interest. 'Space is a warfighting domain, and it is the Space Force's job to contest and control its environment to achieve national security objectives,' it said in the statement. American dominance in space has been largely unquestioned for decades following the end of the Cold War and the fall of the Soviet Union. But the new threats and competition posed by Russia and China show the need for an aggressive response, U.S. officials say. The hope, Turner said, is that the U.S. can take steps to ensure Russia and China can't get the upper hand, and the frightening potential of space weapons is not realized. 'You have to pay attention to these things so they don't happen,' Turner said. David Klepper, The Associated Press
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
Police search for multiple suspects after NYC lounge shooting
Police search for multiple suspects after NYC lounge shooting Police have been searching for multiple shooters in a shooting stemming from a dispute at a crowded Brooklyn lounge Saturday night, authorities said Sunday morning. Police initially identified 11 victims, but they later updated that number to 12, three people dead and nine people wounded. 00:55 - Source: CNN Vertical Top News 14 videos Police search for multiple suspects after NYC lounge shooting Police have been searching for multiple shooters in a shooting stemming from a dispute at a crowded Brooklyn lounge Saturday night, authorities said Sunday morning. Police initially identified 11 victims, but they later updated that number to 12, three people dead and nine people wounded. 00:55 - Source: CNN Hurricane hunters fly through Hurricane Erin Hurricane hunters with the NOAA flew through Hurricane Erin after it rapidly intensified into a rare Category 5 hurricane. Erin is expected to continue to fluctuate in intensity as it undergoes an eyewall replacement cycle. 00:37 - Source: CNN Zelensky prepares for White House meeting In the wake of the Alaska summit between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, European leaders joined Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky for a conference call ahead of the leader's meeting with the US president at the White House on Monday. 01:24 - Source: CNN Nationwide demonstrations across Israel demanding hostage deal A planned nationwide strike in Israel on Sunday saw hundreds of thousands take part to call on the government to bring the remaining hostages in Gaza home. CNN's Oren Liebermann reports from Tel Aviv. 01:23 - Source: CNN Canadian government orders end to Air Canada strike After more than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants went on strike seeking wage increases and paid compensation for work when planes are on the ground, the Canada Industrial Relations Board has ordered them to return to work according to an announcement by Canadian Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu. 01:05 - Source: CNN What to expect from Zelensky-Trump meeting President Trump will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday after the two leaders had a 'long and substantive conversation.' A European official told CNN that during the call they also discussed potential 'Article 5-type' security guarantees for Ukraine. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh reports. 01:46 - Source: CNN Russian media reacts positively to Trump-Putin Summit Russian state TV gave a positive coverage of the outcome of the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, celebrating the handshake between the two leaders. Russian officials also stated that the meeting resulted in progress on sanctions and opened up room for future negotiations. CNN's Fred Pleitgen reports. 01:23 - Source: CNN F-22s that intercept Russian aircraft greet Putin on red carpet Four F-22 Raptors flanked the red carpet on the tarmac as Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson for his meeting with US President Donald Trump. CNN's Natasha Bertrand details how these F-22 are are the same type used to intercept Russian aircraft. 00:43 - Source: CNN London's toxic trash 'volcano' Arnolds Field landfill on Launders Lane in east London is better known to locals as the 'Rainham volcano.' The site was used as an illegal dump for years and now, every summer, it bursts into flames, sending plumes of acrid smoke over nearby homes, parks and schools. CNN's Laura Paddison speaks to residents who feel abandoned and trapped. 02:05 - Source: CNN Here's what happened during Trump-Putin meeting CNN's Kristen Holmes breaks down what happened during President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin's summit in Anchorage, Alaska. 02:35 - Source: CNN Trump-Putin summit ends with no deal US President Donald Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin 'made some headway' and 'great progress' in their bilateral meeting, but added that 'there's no deal until there's a deal.' 01:15 - Source: CNN Putin makes faces as journalists ask about Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin did not respond to reporters' questions about the war in Ukraine as his meeting with President Donald Trump and top aides was set to begin. Putin appeared to make a confused expression as multiple journalists began shouting questions. 00:13 - Source: CNN Trump and Putin land in Alaska for historic summit US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived at a US military base in Alaska where the two leaders took part in a red carpet greeting ahead of their talks on Ukraine. As both leaders met on the tarmac, a flyover of American military planes passed overhead, including fighter jets and what appeared to be a B-2 stealth bomber. 00:59 - Source: CNN Erin becomes Atlantic season's first hurricane Erin strengthened to become the Atlantic season's first hurricane. The storm is expected to avoid landfall in the United States but might create dangerous beach conditions along the Atlantic coast, forecasters predict. CNN's Brandon Miller breaks down the hurricane's path. 00:58 - Source: CNN
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Former Miss Universe Contestant, 30, Dies After Elk Smashed Through Her Windshield: ‘Everything Was Covered in Blood'
NEED TO KNOW Kseniya Alexandrova, 30, a Russian former Miss Universe contestant, died on Aug. 12, weeks after an elk hit her car's windshield in a freak accident The model was driving with her husband in the Tver Oblast region of Russia when the tragedy occurred Alexandrova and her husband had only been married for several months at the time of the accident A model and former beauty queen has died, weeks after an elk smashed through her windshield in a freak accident. She was 30. Kseniya Alexandrova sustained severe brain injuries from the incident, which occurred in July, while she was driving in Tver Oblast, Russia. She later died in the hospital due to complications from her injuries on Aug. 12, Russian news source Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported. Alexandrova and her husband had been driving home from Rzhev on July 5 when their car collided with the elk, the outlet said. Alexandrova sat in the passenger seat while her husband was driving, when the animal suddenly jumped onto the road. "From the moment it jumped out to the impact, a split second passed. I didn't have time to do anything," Alexandrova's husband told Rossiyskaya Gazeta in a statement translated from Russian. He recalled that Alexandrova was unconscious after the impact, adding, 'Everything was covered in blood.' The husband additionally told Rossiyskaya Gazeta that other drivers stopped to help, and that emergency services arrived on the scene within about 15 minutes. Alexandrova was transported to a hospital in Moscow, but her injuries ultimately proved fatal. She had married her husband four months before the accident, according to her Instagram. In addition to her modeling career, Alexandrova represented Russia in the Miss Universe pageant in 2017. She was also first runner-up in the Miss Russia competition earlier that same year, per Us Weekly. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Alexandrova was also a practicing psychologist, having earned a degree from Moscow Pedagogical State University, according to a personal update on her Instagram in November 2022. Alexandrova's modeling agency, Modus Vivendis, confirmed the news of her death in a statement shared on Instagram on Aug. 13. 'It is with great sadness that we inform you that our colleague and friend, model Kseniya Alexandrova, passed away yesterday evening,' the statement, which was translated from Russian, began. 'Kseniya was bright [and] talented. She knew how to inspire, support and give warmth to everyone who was around. For us, she will forever remain a symbol of beauty, kindness and inner strength," the agency continued. 'We sincerely mourn and express our deepest condolences to her family, friends and everyone who had the good fortune to know Kseniya,' the statement concluded. Read the original article on People
