European Nations Denounce Russian Hybrid Attacks, Cable Cut Probes Launched
By Andrius Sytas, Barbara Erling, Johan Ahlander, Reuters
November 19, 2024
STOCKHOLM/WARSAW, Nov 19 (Reuters) – European governments accused Russia on Tuesday of escalating hybrid attacks on Ukraine's Western allies, as Baltic nations investigated whether the
cutting of two fibre-optic telecommunication
cables in the Baltic Sea was sabotage.
European officials have not directly accused Russia of destroying the cables. But Germany, Poland and others said it was likely an act of sabotage, while Lithuania's armed forces boosted surveillance of its waters in response.
“Moscow's escalating hybrid activities against NATO and EU countries are also unprecedented in their variety and scale, creating significant security risks,” the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Britain said in a statement.
The strongly worded declaration came as European countries probed the complete severing this week of the Baltic cables, one linking Finland and Germany, the other connecting Sweden to Lithuania, recalling previous incidents in the busy waterway.
“If Russia does not stop committing acts of sabotage in Europe, Warsaw will close the rest of its consulates in Poland,” Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on Tuesday after several European foreign ministers met in the Polish capital.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius struck a similar chord at separate talks in Brussels: “No one believes that these cables were cut accidentally.”
“We also have to assume, without knowing it yet, that it is sabotage,” Pistorius added.
Moscow has repeatedly denied sabotaging European infrastructure and says such claims are fabricated to damage Russian interests through an information war waged by the West.
Two European sources said Tuesday's statement was not a direct response to the cable cuts.
European Commission Vice President Josep Borrell struck a more cautious tone, saying it was too early to point fingers.
“It would be irresponsible from my side to attribute this, let's say incident or accident or whatever you want to call it, to anyone,” he told a press conference in Brussels.
One cable went out of service on Sunday morning, the other less than 24 hours later on Monday.