European officials suspect that Russia may have damaged cables in the Baltic Sea.

The European authorities suspect Russia of orchestrating yet another sabotage in the Baltic Sea, following the damage to two telecommunications cables earlier this week.

This was reported by The Wall Street Journal citing senior officials.

It was previously reported that two cables were damaged. Last Monday, it became known that the C-Lion1 cable, which runs between Finland and Germany near the Russian Nord Stream gas pipeline, was severed in the Baltic Sea.

At the same time, it was revealed that another communication cable between Lithuania and Sweden was also cut.

The Swedish police, in cooperation with the coast guard and military, have initiated a preliminary investigation into the sabotage. The cable break occurred in Swedish territorial waters.

Finland, Lithuania, Germany, and other nations are also involved in the investigation.

According to two sources familiar with the investigation, the two damaged cables intersect in a relatively small area. They believe the damage is most likely the result of human interference rather than natural phenomena.

Previously, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that the damage to the C-Lion1 cable could have been caused by sabotage.

“No one believes that this cable was accidentally severed. I am not inclined to believe the theory that the cable was snagged by an anchor. We must assume that this was an act of sabotage. Therefore, we must state – not knowing exactly who is responsible – that this is a hybrid action,” the minister emphasized.

The severing of the telecommunications cable became known last Monday. According to the Finnish state operator Cinia Oy, the cause was “external influence.” The company did not rule out “deliberate severing.” An investigation has been launched.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Western officials have repeatedly accused Moscow of conducting hybrid warfare in Europe.

In particular, Russia has been accused of placing incendiary devices on aircraft, organizing arson in the UK and Czech Republic, sabotaging German military facilities, and planning the assassination of the CEO of Rheinmetall, as noted by American and German intelligence officials.

Representatives of European and American law enforcement agencies and politicians believe that the goal of such covert operations is to sow panic, distract security resources, and increase pressure on Western governments, while supporting political parties that oppose military aid to Ukraine.