Finland, Lithuania Confirm Undersea Data Cables Severed

Undersea data cables connecting Finland to Germany and Lithuania to Sweden were damaged in separate incidents raising concerns about external interference, Leo Laikola, Kati Pohjanpalo and Milda Seputyte reported for Bloomberg News.

The incidents occur amidst heightened warnings of potential Russian interference with global undersea infrastructure.

The 1,200-kilometer Helsinki-Rostock fiber optic cable, a critical link for high-speed data transmission, was severed east of southern Sweden.

Cinia Oy, the cable’s operator, confirmed that all fiber connections were down, likely due to a physical impact. Simultaneously, Telia Lithuania reported damage to a communications cable linking Lithuania and Sweden.

Monitoring systems detected the disruption on Sunday morning, with evidence pointing to physical damage.

The incidents occur amidst heightened warnings of potential Russian interference with global undersea infrastructure. Undersea cables are vital for global communications, and their vulnerability has drawn increasing scrutiny in light of geopolitical tensions.