Latest news with #MattiasLindholm
See - Sada Elbalad
21-02-2025
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Sweden Reports Damaged Undersea Cable in Baltic Sea
Sweden has reported damage to another undersea cable in the Baltic Sea, near Gotland Island, raising further concerns over the security of critical infrastructure in the region. According to the Swedish Coast Guard, the affected cable connects Finland and Germany and was damaged within Sweden's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The incident is the latest in a series of disruptions impacting subsea communication lines, power cables, and even gas pipelines. Coast Guard spokesperson Mattias Lindholm confirmed to Bloomberg News that authorities were notified about the cable cut on Thursday, but the exact timing of the incident remains unclear. Swedish officials are en route to assess the damage. In response, the Swedish Prosecution Authority has launched an investigation, while the Swedish Armed Forces have also been informed, according to Swedish news agency TT and TV4. While previous incidents have often been attributed to ships dragging anchors along the seabed, authorities have not publicly confirmed whether this latest event was due to sabotage or negligence. This incident adds to growing concerns over the security of undersea cables, which are vital for global communications, carrying over 95% of international data traffic. These cables are essential for internet connectivity, telecommunications, and financial transactions, making them key targets in modern hybrid warfare scenarios.
New York Times
21-02-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Sweden Investigates New Cable Break Under Baltic Sea
The Swedish authorities said on Friday that they were investigating a new cable break in the Baltic Sea, the latest in a string of suspected acts of sabotage of underwater infrastructure in the region. The Swedish Coast Guard said that it had been informed of the cable break on Thursday and was en route to the area, off the eastern island of Gotland, according to Mattias Lindholm, a spokesman for the service. He said that he did not know what kind of cable had been damaged but that it was not Swedish. He directed questions about the fallout to Finland or Germany. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson of Sweden said on Friday that his government took 'all reports of possible damage to infrastructure in the Baltic Sea very seriously.' Such reports, he said, had to be seen in light of the 'serious security situation that prevails.' The severing of several undersea cables in the Baltic Sea in recent months has raised concerns that Russia is using the moves to retaliate against NATO countries that have supported Ukraine. Alliance officials have pointed to Russia as a possible culprit, but have said that it is difficult to gather definitive proof. In January, the alliance stepped up its military presence in the area with a new patrol and surveillance operation, called Baltic Sentry, aimed at protecting infrastructure in the sea. Swedish officials said that month that they were investigating what they described as 'gross sabotage' after an undersea communications cable was damaged. This is a developing story and will be updated.
Arab Times
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Arab Times
Sweden seizes vessel suspected of 'sabotage' after undersea data cable rupture in Baltic Sea
RIGA, Latvia, Jan 27, (AP): Swedish prosecutors announced Sunday night that they have opened a preliminary investigation into suspected aggravated "sabotage' and ordered the detention of a vessel in the Baltic Sea suspected of damaging an underwater fiber optic cable connecting Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland earlier that day. "Several authorities, including the National Police Operations Department, the Coast Guard and the Armed Forces, are involved in the investigation,' said Mats Ljungqvist, senior prosecutor at the National Security Unit, according to a press release. The Swedish Coast Guard confirmed to the newspaper Expressen that they were on site near the vessel which the paper identified as the Malta-flagged Vezhen, at anchor near the port of Karlskrona. "We are directly on site with the seized ship and are taking measures as decided by the prosecutor,' said Mattias Lindholm, spokesperson for the Coast Guard. According to data from Vesselfinder, the vessel departed from the Russian port of Ust-Luga several days earlier and was navigating between Gotland and Latvia at the time the damage was suspected of having occurred. Latvia's state-run radio and TV center said Sunday that it recorded disruptions in data transmission on the cable running from the town of Ventspils to the Swedish island of Gotland, and concluded there was a rupture. The media organization said it was able to operate using other data transmission routes, while it was taking steps to have the cable repaired. "At the moment, there is reason to believe that the cable is significantly damaged and that the damage is caused by external influences,' Vineta Sprugaine, head of corporate communications at LVRTC, was quoted as saying by the LSM state broadcaster. Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa wrote on X that her government was "working together with our Swedish Allies and NATO on investigating the incident, including to patrolling the area, as well as inspecting the vessels that were in the area.' Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson wrote on X that at least one cable belonging to a "Latvian entity' was believed to have been damaged and that he has been "in close contact' with Siliņa during the day Sunday. Sunday's rupture follows a string of incidents that have heightened fears of Russian sabotage and spying in the strategic region.
Euronews
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Swedish prosecutors launch preliminary probe after Baltic Sea data cable damaged
Swedish prosecutors have announced a preliminary investigation into suspected aggravated "sabotage" and ordered the detention of a vessel in the Baltic Sea suspected of damaging an underwater fibre optic cable connecting Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland on Sunday. "Several authorities, including the National Police Operations Department, the Coast Guard and the Armed Forces, are involved in the investigation," said Mats Ljungqvist, senior prosecutor at the National Security Unit. The Swedish Coast Guard confirmed to the newspaper Expressen that they were on site near the vessel which the paper identified as the Malta-flagged Vezhen, at anchor near the port of Karlskrona. "We are directly on site with the seized ship and are taking measures as decided by the prosecutor," said Mattias Lindholm, a spokesperson for the Coast Guard. According to data from Vesselfinder, the ship departed from the Russian port of Ust-Luga several days ago and was navigating between Gotland and Latvia at the time the damage is believed to have occurred. Latvia's state-run radio and TV centre said on Sunday that it recorded disruptions in data transmission on the cable running from the town of Ventspils to the Swedish island of Gotland and concluded there was a rupture. The media organisation said it was able to operate using other data transmission routes, while it was taking steps to have the cable repaired. "At the moment, there is reason to believe that the cable is significantly damaged and that the damage is caused by external influences," Vineta Sprugaine, head of corporate communications at LVRTC, was quoted as saying by the LSM state broadcaster. Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa wrote on X that her government was "working together with our Swedish Allies and NATO on investigating the incident, including to patrolling the area, as well as inspecting the vessels that were in the area." Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson wrote on X that at least one cable belonging to a "Latvian entity" was believed to have been damaged and that he has been "in close contact" with Siliņa during the day. Suspected sabotage Sunday's rupture follows a string of incidents that have heightened fears of Russian sabotage and spying in the strategic region. There have been previous incidents reported of ruptures of data cables running along the Baltic Sea bed, allegedly linked to Russia's shadow fleet, hundreds of aging tankers of uncertain ownership that are dodging sanctions and keeping oil revenue coming into the country. The most recent incident happened on Christmas Day when the Estlink-2 cable, which carries power from Finland to Estonia, was damaged. Investigators believe the Russia-linked Eagle S oil tanker was responsible for the damage by dragging its anchor along the seabed. Finnish police detained the 23-strong crew in early January and that investigation is ongoing. Earlier this month, NATO launched a mission dubbed Baltic Sentry which includes frigates, maritime patrol aircraft and a fleet of naval drones to provide "enhanced surveillance and deterrence" in the Baltic Sea which the transatlantic alliance says is to protect undersea cables and pipelines.
South China Morning Post
27-01-2025
- South China Morning Post
Sweden seizes vessel suspected of ‘sabotage' of Baltic Sea cable
Swedish prosecutors announced Sunday night that they have opened a preliminary investigation into suspected aggravated 'sabotage' and ordered the detention of a vessel in the Baltic Sea suspected of damaging an underwater fibre optic cable connecting Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland earlier that day. 'Several authorities, including the National Police Operations Department, the Coast Guard and the Armed Forces, are involved in the investigation,' said Mats Ljungqvist, senior prosecutor at the National Security Unit, according to a press release. The Swedish Coast Guard confirmed to the newspaper Expressen that they were on site near the vessel which the paper identified as the Malta-flagged Vezhen, at anchor near the port of Karlskrona. 'We are directly on site with the seized ship and are taking measures as decided by the prosecutor,' said Mattias Lindholm, spokesperson for the Coast Guard. According to data from Vesselfinder , the vessel departed from the Russian port of Ust-Luga several days earlier and was navigating between Gotland and Latvia at the time the damage was suspected of having occurred.
