Finland grapples with mystery of Baltic Sea cable incidents
The President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, has admitted there is no certainty about who is responsible for the severed cables in the Baltic Sea. Local media suggest that the authorities might be concealing Russia's involvement.
The President stated that the five instances of cable severance in the Baltic Sea over the past 15 months are unlikely to be coincidental, yet there is a lack of "complete certainty" regarding who is to blame.
During a press conference, President Stubb emphasised that although there are suspicions, these incidents vary from one another.
- Confirming the identity of the culprit is important, but not crucial - he noted. He added that it is more vital to prevent such situations in the future and to respond swiftly to any potential damage.
The head of Finland’s counterintelligence agency, Juha Martelius, admitted that a state entity might be involved in the incidents. However, he emphasised in an interview with MTV that "a definitive legal explanation of this issue may be unattainable".
Media: Authorities are "covering up" Russia's role
The newspaper "Iltalehti" reports that Finnish authorities have altered their narrative regarding the cable damage in the Gulf of Finland. Initially, the spotlight was on the Russian tanker Eagle S, but a lack of evidence for a Russian operation redirected the investigation.
According to the newspaper's information, the Americans "made a deal" and persuaded Russia to cease sabotages in the Baltic in return for NATO countries recognising the damage to submarine cables as "accidents or unexplained crimes".
In the background, writes "Iltalehti", are peace talks regarding Ukraine, and it is hoped to prevent the Baltic situation from overshadowing these negotiations.
The former head of Finnish military intelligence, Pekka Toveri, now a Member of the European Parliament, does not dismiss this scenario. "Let's say I do not consider such a scenario impossible," he commented.
