NATO boosting Baltic Sea patrols as Finland investigates broken undersea power, internet cables [Video]

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 control of the ship, the Eagle S, on Thursday as they tried to establish whether it had damaged a power cable linking Finland and Estonia and several data cables. It was the latest in a string of incidents involving the disruption of key infrastructure in the region.

In a post on the social media platform X, Rutte said he had spoken to Finland’s President Alexander Stubb “about the ongoing Finnish-led investigation into possible sabotage of undersea cables.” Rutte said NATO would “enhance its military presence in the Baltic Sea.”

WATCH | Authorities haven’t ruled out Russian sabotage of undersea cables: Finnish police seized a ship carrying Russian oil after an underwater power cable connecting Finland to Estonia was cut. …