Finland tackles undersea cable sabotage amid Russian threat
Finland launches fresh crackdown on undersea cable sabotage
- Finland is establishing a new maritime surveillance centre in the Gulf of Finland to protect critical undersea infrastructure.
- This initiative responds to heightened regional tensions and a series of incidents involving power cables, telecommunications links, and gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
- The centre will involve cooperation with other Baltic Sea states and the European Commission, forming part of a broader joint action plan to enhance regional security.
- Preventive measures will include seabed sensors, artificial intelligence solutions for maritime traffic analysis, and information exchange with allies.
- Finnish authorities have recently intercepted vessels suspected of damaging undersea cables, including a cargo vessel on New Year's Eve and two others in late 2024 and 2025.