Authorities in Finland are investigating damage to a fibre-optic data cable on the Finland-Sweden land border that disrupted internet services, raising concerns in light of recent cable sabotage incidents in the Baltic Sea.
Transport and Communications Minister Lulu Ranne confirmed on Tuesday that the Finnish government, alongside digital infrastructure firm Global Connect, is addressing the issue. “We take the situation seriously,” Ranne stated on X (formerly Twitter).
According to Global Connect, the cable sustained damage in two separate locations in southern Finland on Monday, affecting 6,000 private customers and 100 businesses. While one instance has been linked to excavation work, the cause of the second remains under investigation. “We have no analysis on this so far,” said Global Connect spokesperson Niklas Ekström.
Finnish police suspect potential criminal activity in connection with the incident, as Swedish media reported. This event follows last month’s damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea connecting Germany to Finland and Sweden to Lithuania, which has prompted investigations by multiple European authorities.
Germany’s defense minister has attributed the Baltic Sea cable damage to sabotage, though the perpetrator remains unidentified. These incidents have intensified concerns over hybrid threats amid ongoing geopolitical tensions. NATO and several European governments have accused Russia of increasing its hybrid warfare tactics since the onset of its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Moscow has denied any involvement.
Adding complexity to the situation, Sweden recently sought China’s cooperation in investigating the Baltic Sea cable damage near a site where a Chinese flagged vessel had been observed. China has denied responsibility but expressed willingness to “maintain communication” with the involved nations.
The recent events highlight vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure and the escalating stakes in ensuring the security of communication networks in Europe.
