Naval inspector:

Damage to Baltic Sea cables targeted acts of sabotage

(Bild: ryanbagoez)

The inspector of the German navy, Vice Admiral Jan Christian Kaack, sees the severed telecommunications and power cables in the Baltic Sea as deliberate acts of sabotage.

"These are clear provocations that always carry the risk of escalating," Kaack told the news magazine "Spiegel". In recent months, there have been an increasing number of cases of damaged submarine cables in the Baltic Sea. "The accumulation of these incidents alone speaks against coincidence," he explained.

Dragging anchors as an unrealistic cause
The highest-ranking officer in the German Navy emphasized that the explanation of an accidentally dropped anchor, which many ship crews cite as the reason for the damaged cables, is unrealistic. You can tell when an anchor is dragging on the seabed. It sounds something like "as if a battle tank were driving across the market square in Osnabrück".

(Bild: ryanbagoez)

In his assessment of the events, Kaack did not go so far as to name Russia as the main suspect. "Above all, I look at who benefits from the actions," said the Vice Admiral. It is clear to him what the aim of the damaged underwater cables is: "They are testing us, they want to unsettle our society."

Deterrence should help
Kaack was in favor of NATO's increased presence in the region. This alone would have a deterrent effect. "Anyone who sees one or even several warships approaching them may be more likely to refrain from taking action," said Kaack.

NATO increases its patrols
Since the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine in February 2022, important telecommunications and power cables have already been damaged several times in the Baltic Sea. NATO had therefore announced increased patrols.

The defense alliance intends to monitor the sea area with warships, reconnaissance aircraft, satellites and drones as part of the "Baltic Sentry" mission (see video above).