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A VITAL undersea internet cable connecting Finland to Germany has been mysteriously cut, sparking fears of Russian sabotage.
The unexplained fault in the C-Lion1 cable has disrupted communication services between both countries, and comes just days after one of Vladimir Putin‘s ships was caught off Britain’s coast.
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APAnd just weeks ago, the US warned that it had detected increased Russian military activity around key undersea cables.
The comms cable that links Helsinki to Rostock in Germany was built and is operated by Cinia, a state-controlled Finnish company.
Laid between October 2015 and January 2016, the C-Lion1 covers a distance of nearly 1,200 kilometers (730 miles) under the Baltic Sea.
It is the only direct connection of its kind between Finland and central Europe and runs alongside other key pieces of infrastructure, including gas pipelines and power cables.
To prevent relying too much on a single link, the most vital data flows are typically carried over many cables.
On Monday, Cinia announced the mystery malfunction, saying that the cause of the fault is still unclear and that the issue is being investigated.
Cinia told Finland‘s state television, YLE, that a repair vessel is ready to go to the fault site.
The firm said it didn’t know how long repairs would take, although submarine cables generally take five to 15 days.
Cinia CEO Ari-Jussi Knaapila said that “some other external force has contributed to the breaking of the cable,” adding that the damage was not caused by underwater seismic activity such as a landslide.
Tapio Frantti, a cybersecurity professor at the University of Jyväskylä, says the cable rupture was most likely purposeful rather than accidental – and that Russia could have enough motives for a planned disruption.
He told YLE: “If you look at this from the point of view of probability, then yes, this is on the side of intentionality.
“When a cable breaks, it raises questions as to why it happened [and] who might have a motive to do something like this.
“They [Russia] really seem to think that they have a special right to do such things. The motive for sabotage is usually that it’s done because it can be done.”
Frantti added that, while the implications of a single cable break are minor, it would be concerning if the act was found to be intentional.
He continued: “It comes to mind that this could be a practice for a larger-scale act if there is a need for that.”
C-Lion1’s unknown fault comes just days after a Russian spy ship was caught lurking off the UK coast near pipelines and internet cables.
LURKING AROUND
Royal Navy warships and RAF Poseidon spy planes shadowed the Russian spy ship Yantar which had steamed into the Irish Sea last Thursday.
The research ship was spotted lurking over cables midway between Dublin and Liverpool.
And it came days after a warship armed with hypersonic missiles passed through the Channel.
Yantar was sailing with the Golkovo – described as Putin’s “most dangerous” ship – before breaking off and sailing into the Irish Sea.
It is understood she was then monitored by recon planes and minehunter HMS Cattistock, reported Navy Lookout.
Yantar is believed to be armed with state-of-the-art stealth subs designed to interfere with key communication infrastructure.
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It has previously been warned that vital undersea cables could be used to cripple Britain.
Yantar – a 5,700-ton vessel – briefly activated its Automatic Identification System (AIS) on Thursday to reveal its location.
The Project 22010-class intelligence ship has previously been monitored as she has often lingered around the coast of the UK.
Meanwhile, the United States previously warned of an increasing risk of Russian “sabotage” of key undersea cables by a secretive military unit.
AMERICA’S WARNING
Two officials told CNN they think there is a greater chance that the Kremlin will launch sabotage operations to take down a vital component of the global communications infrastructure.
Russia has bolstered a specialised unit, the “General Staff Main Directorate for Deep Sea Research” (GUGI), which deploys surface ships, submarines, and naval drones.
“We are concerned about heightened Russian naval activity worldwide and that Russia’s decision calculus for damaging US and allied undersea critical infrastructure may be changing,” a US official said, noting GUGI’s focus on undersea sabotage.
US surveillance frequently tracks Russian ships near critical maritime infrastructure far from Russian territory.
Undersea cables, which carry most global internet and communications traffic, are vital to government, military, and economic operations.
Their disruption could significantly impact industries such as finance and energy as the cables also transmit electricity between European countries.
The US and allies monitor Russian naval activity around these cables.
NATO commanders in 2023 reported increased Russian activity in the Baltic Sea, mirroring findings from Nordic public broadcasters, which identified a fleet of suspected Russian spy ships mapping undersea sites for sabotage.
Similar activity by China’s Navy around Taiwan has also been reported, described as potential preparation for isolating the island.
Despite the war in Ukraine, Russia continues to prioritise GUGI’s operations.
“Any activities damaging seabed infrastructure, including undersea cables, during heightened tensions risk misunderstandings and unintended escalation,” a US official warned, calling such sabotage a significant escalation in Russian aggression.
AFP
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