Germany and Finland issue 'hybrid warfare' warning

At a time when warnings against sabotage operations aimed at disabling communication infrastructure are increasing, interruptions have occurred in two separate data cables in the Baltic Sea.

It was announced that the approximately 1,200 km long data cable named C-Lion1 between Finland and Germany was severed early Monday. In a statement made by the Finland-based operator of the data line, Cinia Oy, it was announced that the fiber optic connection cable on the Helsinki-Rostock line may have been completely severed. With the connection lost, all services using the line, which carries 144 terabits of data per second, went offline.

Cinia Oy CEO Ari-Jussi Knaapila stated that the cause of the problem is not yet fully understood and that their investigation into the incident is ongoing. Knaapila said, "What we can say is that such damage is not possible without an external factor." The company stated that a repair vessel would be sent to the region, but it is not known exactly how long the undersea repair process, which usually takes 5 to 15 days, will take.

JOINT STATEMENT FROM FINLAND AND GERMANY

The foreign ministers of Finland and Germany issued a joint statement declaring that the severing of the undersea cable connecting the two countries has caused deep concern. The joint statement, which highlights "hybrid warfare," said, "The fact that such an incident immediately raises suspicions of intentional damage highlights how fragile our times are. A comprehensive investigation is underway. Europe's security is threatened not only by Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine but also by hybrid warfare methods from malicious actors. Protecting our shared critical infrastructure is vital for our security and the resilience of our societies."

UNDERSEA DATA CABLE BETWEEN LITHUANIA AND SWEDEN DAMAGED

Today, a statement was also released regarding damage to the telecommunications cable between Lithuania and Sweden. According to a statement made by the telecommunications company Telia Lithuania, an interruption in data flow caused by physical damage began as of 10:00 a.m. on Sunday.

Telia Lithuania officials announced that the line carries one-third of the country's internet capacity. The Sweden-based telecommunications company Arelion, which operates the line, announced that the company has been in contact with the Swedish military and civil authorities regarding the incident. Company officials noted that the cable would be repaired within the next few weeks, depending on weather conditions.

Following these developments, the US press pointed out that these incidents occurred just a few weeks after the US stated that there has been an increase in Russian military activity near undersea cables and that Russia may be targeting global communication infrastructure.

News Source: İHA