WSJ: Russia orchestrated Chinese ship’s Baltic cable sabotage

December 15, 2024

By Ukraine

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The Wall Street Journal has reported that a Chinese ship suspected of damaging telecommunications cables in the Baltic Sea acted under orders from Russian intelligence.

Recently, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has said Russia has long been waging not a covert but an open war against NATO countries. An OSCE report has revealed that since the start of the war in Ukraine, Russia has carried out approximately 150 attacks on NATO countries. These include cyberattacks on railways, hospitals, GPS systems, and water supplies. The report also highlights hacking, sabotage, and threats to military facilities and underwater infrastructure.

The telecommunications cable was damaged on 18 November 2024 after the Chinese cargo ship Yi Peng 3 passed over it. Finland, Germany, Sweden, and Lithuania reported the damage. Launched in 2016, the cable is the only direct underwater communication line to Central Europe.

The Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous sources involved in the investigation, said Russian intelligence instructed the ship’s captain to damage the cables with the ship’s anchor.

The vessel and its crew were later detained by the Royal Danish Navy for questioning and a detailed review of its course and actions near the telecommunications cables. Reports identified the ship’s captain as Russian citizen Alexander Stechentsev.

Ahead of the suspected attack, the Russian Black Sea Fleet corvette Merkury arrived in the Kattegat area to conduct reconnaissance for the Yi Peng 3, relaying classified information to headquarters in Kaliningrad.

The report notes NATO is facing challenges in responding to the Baltic Sea incident, with authorities avoiding direct accusations against Russia to prevent public alarm.

Changes in the Yi Peng 3’s routes were observed in spring 2024, as it began visiting Russian ports, including Murmansk and Ust-Luga, for the first time since 2015. The reasons for these route changes remain unclear, as does the ship’s potential collaboration with Russian authorities.

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