NATO strengthens the defense of critical submarine cables in the Baltic Sea

NATO strengthens the defense of critical submarine cables in the Baltic Sea

On the morning of the first Christmas Day, the operators of the Estonian power grid were confronted with an unexpected surprise: the Estlink 2 cable, which connects Estonia with Finland, had failed. This failure only put the Estlink 1 cable into operation, which reduced the current flow to Estonia by almost two thirds.

consequences of the cable interruption

The fracture had little effect on the services because there were sufficient reserve capacities. Nevertheless, he fueled fears that energy prices would increase as long as the cable remained offline - possibly for months. The following day, Finnish officials went to the Tanker Eagle S, who drives under the flag of the cook islands and allegedly transported, board and arrested oil from Russia to Turkey. This had crossed the cable, with how the Finnish authorities specified, apparently the anchor was drawn after.

suspicion of hybrid attacks

The Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur quickly referred to the first suspected “hybrid attack” in the past few months, all with a similar mode Operandi. However, he admitted that some believe that it could have been an accident. However, the incident of December 25th was really serious.

NATO reacts to the incidents

NATO, which has already followed incidents of the alleged cable cutting, reacted promptly. Within three weeks, the alliance had sent a coordinated group of warships to sail in order to deter such suspected attacks. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed his "serious concern" about a "growing threat to our critical underwater infrastructure" when the new surveillance and deterrent mission, which is called "Baltic Sentry".

critical infrastructure in the crosshair

Although NATO had already strengthened the patrols in the Baltic Sea and increased the coordination with the national police authorities and the border protection authorities of the affected countries, the incident of December 25 was only the youngest in a series of incidents that the European Union described as "a series of suspicious attacks on critical infrastructure". Russia rejected any responsibility for the damage. However, PEVKUR is skeptical and blames the ships of the “shadow fleet” of Russia, who are supposed to try to avoid western restrictions on the sale of Russian oil.

global effects of failures

Under the Baltic Sea, dozens of susceptible internet and power cables run, which are largely laid on the sea floor. Rutte emphasized that more than 95 % of global internet traffic will be handled via submarine cables. Damage to these cables could not only require costly repairs, but also have followed for months. Even smaller failures could prevent tens of thousands of people from seeing their favorite programs and films and have a negative impact on online purchases and house deliveries.

technological support from KI

The Operation Baltic Sentry is supported by KI, which is operated in the new NATO Maritime Center for the Security of Critical Undersea Infrastructure in the United Kingdom. The commander of the NATO maritime user group emphasized the need to react quickly. "We build 'patterns of life' in the Baltic Sea and watch anomalies, such as ships that often change their direction or linger near critical cables," he said.

With the collected resources of warships, AI, state-of-the-art tracking data and the use of F-35-stealth jets, NATO wants to react to suspicious behavior within half to an hour-far faster than in previous incidents. Nevertheless, Markussen emphasizes that this is a sensitive topic and warns that the situation could easily escalate.

outlook for the future

The Estonian Defense Minister PEVKUR, whose country has historical reasons to fear Russia, is skeptical about the cable cutting and speaks of an expanded form of the Ukraine war. He emphasizes that NATO and western nations have to work together to effectively combat threats. These incidents illustrate the need to strengthen the security of critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea and to avoid potential dangers from the field of vision.