Mystery in the Baltic: Two Undersea Cables Cut, Officials Disagree

This: two crucial undersea internet cables in the Baltic Sea got suddenly cut just hours apart. European officials think it’s an act of sabotage, possibly linked to Russia. But US officials suggest it could be an accident, maybe a ship’s anchor dragging the cables. This isn’t the first time weird things happen near Europe and Russia’s been accused of similar incidents before. A Chinese ship was in the area, raising eyebrows even more. Investigations are underway, and everyone’s keeping a close eye on things. Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius didn’t mince words. He said nobody's buying the accident story. Finland and Germany’s foreign ministers echoed his sentiment, saying they’re worried it might be part of a bigger game, like hybrid warfare. Russia’s been under the spotlight for suspicious acts across Europe, and this cable cut comes just after the US warned about possible undersea infrastructure targets by Russia. Plus, Russian vessels have been moving mysteriously in European waters lately. However, two US officials think it’s more likely an accident. They believe a passing ship’s anchor might have snagged the cables. Sure, it’s happened before, but not so close together like this. The Kremlin pushed back, calling the accusations against them laughable and baseless. Sweden and Finland’s law enforcement agencies are looking into possible sabotage though. A Chinese-flagged ship, Yi Peng 3, was near the area when the cables were cut. This ship was coming from a Russian port and caught the attention of authorities and online detectives. Denmark’s military was nearby too, but they didn’t say if they followed the ship. China’s foreign ministry spokesperson didn’t have much to say about the situation, just that they follow the rules and care about undersea infrastructure safety.