NATO finds no proof of Russia’s involvement in destruction of cables in Baltic Sea

Investigations into the destruction of power cables in the Baltic Sea produced no evidence of Russia’s involvement, TASS reports citing The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

The sources said "no proof has been found that Moscow ordered or orchestrated the destruction."

Meanwhile, Belgian Navy Commander Erik Kockx, who heads a group taking part in a NATO mission in the Baltic Sea, pointed out that it’s hard to evaluate the practical effect of the bloc’s increased presence in the region. "It’s quite difficult to prove that our presence helps. It’s hard to say that if we hadn’t been there, something would have occurred," Kockx said.

On January 14, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced the launch of Mission Baltic Sentry, aimed at protecting underwater infrastructure such as power and data cables. The mission involves frigates and maritime patrol aircraft from NATO member states. Its launch came in response to the damage done to a subsea cable connecting Finland and Estonia on December 25, 2024.