At least 11 Baltic cables have been damaged in 15 months, prompting NATO to up its guard

ABOARD A FRENCH NAVY FLIGHT OVER THE BALTIC SEA (AP) — With its powerful camera, the French Navy surveillance plane scouring the Baltic Sea zoomed in on a cargo ship plowing the waters below — closer, closer and closer still until the camera operator could make out details on the vessel's front...

A Bulgarian shipping company denies its vessel sabotaged a Baltic Sea cable

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — A Bulgarian shipping company on Monday denied that one of its ships had intentionally damaged an underwater fiber optic cable connecting Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland. Swedish prosecutors announced on Sunday night that they had launched a...

Sweden seizes vessel suspected of 'sabotage' after undersea data cable rupture in Baltic Sea

RIGA, Latvia (AP) — Swedish prosecutors announced Sunday night that they have opened a preliminary investigation into suspected aggravated “sabotage” and ordered the detention of a vessel in the Baltic Sea suspected of damaging an underwater fiber optic cable connecting Latvia and the Swedish...

NATO announces a new mission to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea region

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO is launching a new mission to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea region after a string of incidents that have heightened fears of Russian sabotage and spying in the strategic region, the alliance's leader said on Tuesday. Secretary-General Mark Rutte...

NATO chief announces launch of a new operation to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea region

Germany calls a Russian oil tanker adrift in the Baltic Sea a threat to security

BERLIN (AP) — An oil tanker believed to be part of Russia’s efforts to evade sanctions went adrift and had to be towed by a German tugboat Friday in what Germany's foreign minister called a danger to security and tourism in the Baltic Sea. The Panamanian-flagged Eventin was...

Estonia steps up patrols in the icy Baltic Sea in a show of force after suspected cable sabotage

ABOARD THE EML SAKALA IN THE BALTIC SEA (AP) — As they plied the gray, icy waters of the Baltic Sea west of Russia on Thursday, the crew of the Estonian minehunter EML Sakala kept a careful eye on any vessels slowing down suspiciously or suddenly changing course. They use...

Former Estonian President Arnold Rüütel dies at age 96

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Arnold Rüütel, the last communist leader of Soviet Estonia and the Baltic country’s second president after the restoration of independence, has died. He was 96. The office of the President of Estonia, Alar Karis, announced on its website that Rüütel...

Finnish investigators find an anchor drag mark on the Baltic seabed after suspicious cable damage

HELSINKI, Finland (AP) — Finnish investigators probing the damage to a Baltic Sea power cable and several data cables said they found an anchor drag mark on the seabed, apparently from a Russia-linked vessel that has already been seized. The discovery heightened concerns about...

NATO will step up Baltic Sea patrols as Finland probes the possible sabotage of undersea cables

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Friday that the military alliance will step up patrols in the Baltic Sea region as Finnish investigators work to establish whether a ship linked to Russia sabotaged undersea cables there this week. Finnish authorities seized...