Latvian authorities have launched an investigation after a vital undersea telecommunications cable in the Baltic Sea was damaged, with police boarding a vessel in connection with the incident over the weekend.
Incident Details and Immediate Response
The damage to the cable, which runs for 65 kilometres (40 miles) between Sventoji in Lithuania and Liepaja in Latvia, was discovered on Friday, 2 January 2026. By Sunday, 4 January, Latvian State Police had boarded a ship as part of their active investigation.
In a statement on social media platform X, the police confirmed that while the vessel and its crew were not detained, they were cooperating fully with the ongoing inquiry. "Active work continues to clarify the circumstances," the statement read.
Regional Security Context and NATO Presence
This latest breach occurs against a backdrop of heightened tension and alert in the Baltic Sea region. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the area has witnessed a series of disruptive incidents targeting energy cables, gas pipelines, and telecoms links.
In response, NATO has significantly bolstered its defensive posture, deploying additional frigates, aircraft, and naval drones to patrol the sensitive waters. The cause of the latest cable damage remains officially undetermined, according to Lithuania's National Crisis Management Centre.
Official Statements and Communication Impact
Latvia's Prime Minister, Evika Silina, addressed the incident publicly, confirming the damage occurred in Latvian waters near the port city of Liepaja. She moved swiftly to reassure the public, stating on X that "the incident has not affected Latvian communications users."
The announcement from Riga comes just five days after a separate but related incident further north. Finnish police seized a cargo vessel travelling from Russia to Israel on suspicion of its involvement in sabotaging an undersea telecoms cable between Helsinki and Estonia across the Gulf of Finland.
These consecutive events underscore the vulnerability of subsea critical infrastructure and the intense focus security services are placing on protecting these assets in a geopolitically volatile environment.
