Damage to the gas pipeline connecting Finland and Estonia. Suspicion falls on Russia

The Balticconnector connection was closed early Sunday amid fears of a gas leak in the 77-kilometer pipeline. Finnish operator Gasgrid said repairs could take months or longer. A fault was also detected in the telecommunications cable between Finland and Estonia, reports Reuters.

Damage to the gas pipeline

Investigators are considering the sabotage scenario – it could have been committed by Russia. The causes of the failure are being investigated. “There has been a disturbing change in the security situation in Finland,” say energy security experts.

“It is likely that the damage to both the gas pipe and the communication cable is the result of external action. The cause of the damage is not yet clear, the investigation continues in cooperation between Finland and Estonia,” wrote Finnish President Sauli Niinistö on Twitter.

Who damaged the Nord Stream gas pipeline?

A year has passed since the leak in the Nord Stream gas pipelines. Let us recall: first, on the eve of the opening of the Baltic Pipe, there was a leak from Nord Stream 2. In turn, on the day of the symbolic launch of the Polish gas pipeline, two more leaks were reported – this time they concerned the lines of Nord Stream 1. Underwater explosions were recorded in the places of damage. – It is still too early to draw conclusions, but this is an extraordinary situation. There are three leaks, it is difficult to imagine that it could be accidental, said Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to the Danish public broadcaster DR.

To this day, the causes of the failure have not been determined. It was indicated from the beginning that it could have been sabotage, but no evidence of such a scenario was found.

What specific purpose would Russia have in carrying out such an operation? – All this is happening as part of a poker game in order to blackmail them into ending the war, of course on Russian terms. The reason is, among others, the fact that Russia’s military situation is currently terrible. Sanctions on Russia work to a much greater extent than we think. That is why Putin needs to emerge from the conflict with a face – commented security expert Robert Cheda.

In his opinion, possible sabotage related to the damage to NS1 and NS2 was also an attempt to cause panic in Europe before the upcoming heating season and to put pressure on Germany, which was one of Russia’s strategic partners before the war in Ukraine.