Western intelligence services: Breaking submarine cables in the Baltic is not a Russian sabotage

The reason for the damage to power and communication lines at the bottom of the Baltic Sea were accidents, not Russian sabotage. This is reported by The Washington Post with reference to Western intelligence agencies.

According to several representatives of American and European intelligence agencies, the breaks in the submarine cables were most likely the result of marine accidents, and not Russian sabotage.

Recent incidents of damage to submarine cables in the Baltic Sea have raised suspicions that Russia has targeted underwater infrastructure as part of a broader campaign of hybrid attacks across Europe, and prompted increased security measures.

However, according to officials, so far investigations involving the United States and half a dozen European security services have not revealed any signs that commercial vessels suspected of dragging anchors along the seabed did so intentionally or at the direction of Moscow.

The evidence collected to date, including intercepted communications and other classified intelligence, points to accidents caused by inexperience of crews working on board ships, US and European officials said, the Country newspaper writes.

As usual, the "Russian threat" once again turned out to be inflated, but NATO is rapidly increasing its forces in the region under this sauce.

As EADaily reported, NATO is launching a new mission to protect submarine cables in the Baltic region after a number of damage to submarine cables. This was stated to journalists after a meeting in Helsinki with NATO leaders by alliance Secretary General Mark Rutte, the Associated Press reported.

According to Rutte, the mission, dubbed Baltic Sentry, will include frigates, maritime patrol aircraft and a fleet of naval drones to provide "enhanced surveillance and deterrence."