NATO Ally Seizes Ship After Latest Baltic Undersea Cable Sabotage [Video]

Swedish authorities have seized a ship suspected of sabotaging an undersea cable in the Baltic Sea, shortly after NATO beefed up its presence in the area to shield its underwater infrastructure.

Why It Matters

This is the latest in a run of suspected sabotage incidents targeting vital undersea cables in the NATO-dominated Baltic Sea.

It comes just weeks after the alliance launched a new initiative, dubbed “Baltic Sentry,” to shield critical NATO infrastructure like undersea cables against a “growing threat” in the region.

Unseen but crucial undersea cables prop up internet services and communications, as well as many other aspects of daily life that are often taken for granted. According to NATO, around 99 percent of the world’s data runs through undersea cables, but they are vulnerable to attack, in what is known as hybrid warfare.

The Baltic Sea is largely surrounded by NATO member states, and is sometimes referred to as a “NATO lake,” but Russia …