Two subsea cables, one linking Finland and Germany and the other connecting Sweden and Lithuania were damaged in less then 24 hours on November 17th and 18th, prompting German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius to say he assumed it was sabotage!
The suspected culprit is a Chinese registered bulk carrier - the Yi Peng 3 - which was traveling through the area after departing the Russian port of Ust Liga, West of St. Petersburg on November 15th.
Reuters news agency have quoted Western intelligence officials from multiple countries as saying that they are confident the Chinese ship caused the cuts to both cables, but they have expressed different views on whether these were accidents or could have been deliberate.
This is not the first time a Chinese vessel has been suspected of damaging subsea infrastructure in this region and it raises concerns of a wider pattern of hybrid warfare.
My guest in this episode is Eoin McNamara (@McNamara_Eoin) who is a Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs in Helsinki. I spoke to him about recent events, the reactions in the region and the implications for countries like Ireland and the broader EU.
Date of Recording: December 3rd, 2024.
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| Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng 3, suspected of involvement in cable severing in the Baltic, Insert top: Alleged Chinese patents for anchor like cable cutting devices. Insert bottom: Map showing the two cut cables in the Baltic Sea. |
DIVE DEEPER:
- Jojje Olsson: Stop blaming China for the sabotage in the Baltic Sea - Affars Varlden (December 9th, 2024) - use Google Translate
- Sweden asks China to co-operate over severed cables - Christy Cooney, BBC News (November 29th, 2024)
- China, Russia militaries conduct joint air patrol over Sea of Japan - Reuters (November 29th, 2024)
- China's support for Russia is hurting relations with Europe, say Nordic and Baltic leaders - Richard Milne, The Irish Times (November 28th, 2024)
- Sweden urges Chinese ship to return for undersea cable investigation - Reuters (November 26th, 2024)
- China is Negotiating Over Access to Bulker Suspected of Subsea Sabotage - The Maritime Executive (November 25th, 2024)
- Swedish authorities track Chinese vessel to scene of Baltic cable breaks - Derek Scally, The Irish Times (November 19th, 2024)
- China must face 'higher cost' for backing Russia in Ukraine, says next EU foreign policy chief - Jennifer Rankin, The Guardian (November 12th, 2024)
- Threats to Ireland have 'increased in significance' - Cormac O'Keefe, Irish Examiner (September 25th, 2024)
- China admits container ship Newnew Polar Bear damaged undersea gas pipeline - ERR (August 12th, 2024)
- China Acknowledges that Boxship Caused Balticonnector Pipeline Breach - The Maritime Executive (August 12th, 2024)
- Russian ships off coast of Ireland 'a cheap way to send a threat' - Vivienne Clarke, Irish Examiner (April 3rd, 2023)
- Defence Forces monitoring Russian warships acting unusually off Irish south coast - Conor Gallagher, The Irish Times (August 30th, 2022)
- Shining a light on China's Gray Zone - Interview with Ray Powell, SeaLight, Perspectives with Neilo (November 19th, 2024)
- China's Aggression Uniting Nations - Perspectives with Neilo (August 18th, 2024)
- China's Maritime Aggression - Interview with Dr Charmaine Willoughby, Perspectives with Neilo (August 6th, 2024)
Main image (above): Mikkel Berg Pedersen/Ritzau Scanpix via AP
