Is this all about Lithuania recognizing Taiwan? Is this Chinese origin or Russian origin that this has happened twice now? First time a gas pipeline and a cable and now a pair of cables, both cases Chinese ships with Russians on board dragging anchors for extended periods. That doesn't happen on a ship and go unnoticed. Are underwater pipelines, cables being sabotaged in the Baltic Sea? Why? | Russia-Ukraine war News | Al Jazeera In April 2023, a joint investigation by the public broadcasters of Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland claimed that Russia had deployed a fleet of suspected spy ships in the Baltic Sea to carry out sabotage operations. Moscow, in turn, accused the United States and its allies, while German and US media outlets reported that pro-Ukrainian actors may have played a role. ................... Just over a year after the Nord Stream pipeline explosions in October 2023, the Balticconnector gas pipeline connecting Finland and Estonia – jointly owned by Estonian electricity and gas system operator Elering and Finnish gas transmission system operator Gasgrid – was damaged in an undersea incident. Nearby data cables were also reported to have been ruptured. Investigators in Finland and Estonia alleged that a Chinese container ship dragging its anchor along the sea bed had caused the damage, which took six months to repair. They did not state whether they believed the damage was intentional. Undersea Cable Mystery Deepens Tensions; China Warns Retaliation Against Lithuania Lithuania has recently escalated tensions with China by expelling three Chinese embassy staff members. Lithuania’s foreign ministry announced this significant step on Friday, citing the individuals’ actions as violations of the Vienna Convention and Lithuanian laws. However, it did not disclose specific details about these violations, keeping the reasons shrouded in mystery. The announcement came amid growing concerns over the recent damage to vital Baltic Sea cable, which has added another layer of strain to Lithuania-China relations. China responded swiftly and strongly, condemning the expulsions as an aggressive and provocative act. A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry stated that Lithuania’s decision undermines China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Chinese government called on Lithuania to reverse its actions and avoid further complications in their bilateral relations. China also denied any involvement in the Baltic Sea cable damage, which had earlier sparked suspicions of a Chinese ship’s potential role in the incident. This diplomatic standoff has further strained ties between the two nations, which were already tense due to Lithuania’s policies on Taiwan. The situation is further complicated by Lithuania’s ongoing participation in investigations into the damaged cable, alongside Sweden and Finland. In recent years, Lithuania has taken a firm stance, making decisions that Beijing views as direct challenges to its authority and international standing.
Finland seizes ship in probe of undersea cable damage Finnish authorities seized an oil tanker as part of an investigation into the cutting of an undersea cable connecting Finland and Estonia, they announced Thursday. The tanker, suspected by European authorities to be part of the Russian shadow fleet intended to evade sanctions, is believed to have caused the damage with its anchor. An undersea cable, Estlink 2, that carries electricity between Finland and Estonia was severed in the Baltic Sea on Wednesday, according to Finnish police. It’s the latest in a spate of murky disruptions to undersea cables that have put European authorities on high alert and heightened fears of sabotage. Finnish authorities also reported damage to four other submarine cables carrying data. The police in Finland said they boarded the Eagle S oil tanker, which is registered in the Cook Islands and had entered Finnish waters. The case is being investigated as “aggravated criminal mischief.” The ship had been sailing from Russia to Egypt, according to MarineTraffic. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said that it was too early to conclude that Russia was behind the damage and that the two countries had not been in contact. However, he emphasized that the incident underscores the “huge threat” posed by Russia’s “shadow fleet” to Baltic nations. Orpo added that Finland’s swift action in seizing the ship sends a strong message that his country will intervene.
meandering around aimlessly waiting on orders as to when the drop their anchor?? Stavanger is a key communications and oil hub for Norway Mystery in the North Sea: Panama-Registered Gas Tanker ‘Mulan’ Sparks Security Concerns with Unusual Zigzag Movements The gas tanker Mulan, registered in Panama, has become the center of attention for authorities in Norway due to its unusual movements in the North Sea. The ship, which is officially traveling from Ura Bay in Russia’s Kola Peninsula to Egypt, has been sailing in the same area for several days, raising concerns about its behavior. The Mulan has not left the North Sea or the Skagerrak Strait since December 26. Initially, the captain of the ship explained that the tanker was waiting for better weather conditions to continue its journey. However, since then, satellite data has shown that the vessel has been zigzagging in an area that holds great significance—an area with pipelines and cables that connect key countries such as Norway, the United Kingdom, and Denmark. These pipelines and cables are vital to the region, carrying energy resources and data. Their importance has made the Mulan’s movements highly suspicious, prompting increased attention from the Norwegian authorities. While the ship is not within Norwegian territorial waters, it is still being closely monitored, as its unusual behavior raises security concerns. As the Mulan continued its presence in the region, the Norwegian Coast Guard increased its vigilance to ensure that there were no threats to the underwater infrastructure. The North Sea is home to many pipelines and important energy connections, making it a sensitive area for the security of the region. On Saturday, the ship was again spotted near Stavanger, a port city on Norway’s southwestern coast. Authorities have been particularly cautious because of the potential risks to the region’s energy security and communication networks.
I would have so many military ships surrounding the Mulan that when anyone onboard her farted the sound would echo for 20 minutes. At her first attempt to damage anything, she can join the rest of Putin's new submarines. No warning shots, just sink her.
Although the Mulan remains outside Norwegian territorial waters, it is still closely watched by the border guards. The ship’s zigzagging movement over such a significant area has led the Norwegian Armed Forces to take further action. The Norwegian authorities have deployed navy ships and aircraft to keep a watchful eye on the tanker, ensuring it does not come too close to the Norwegian coast or its crucial underwater infrastructure. The Norwegian military has confirmed that this increased monitoring will continue until the ship moves far enough away to no longer pose a potential threat. totally OT but Stavanger is jumping off point for the worlds most physically demanding landmark. 4444 stairs up the slope at Florli. My wife did this, I took the ferry to the end of the fjord, drank some beers with a german and nigerian couple, and rode the ferry back to pick her and her t shirt up...she got the t-shirt, I got a buzz and this ridiculous rainbow picture over the little hamlet at the end of the fjord. sun and clouds came together at the right moment as we got ready to leave town. had something similar happen in Papeete Harbor from a ferry with a blazing rainbow into an old volcano. something about ferries and rainbows in my karma somewhere IMG_2671A by bluewaterfever, on Flickr IMG_4101a by bluewaterfever, on Flickr The world’s most physically demanding landmark can be found in Norway – and it features 4,444 stairs
apparently Finland had to stop the ship to prevent much worse damage.. NATO now creating a new task force to monitor the cables and pipes in the Baltic. Too bad their rules of engagement will likely be much too onerous. doesn't seem like threat of penalty is much of a threat to the people ordering this Finland had 12 minutes left to stop a Russia-linked oil tanker from dealing 'much worse' damage to its undersea cables, president says Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on Tuesday that his country had stopped the crew of a Russia-linked oil tanker just minutes before it caused catastrophic damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea. "Had it continued for another 12 minutes, the carnage would have been much worse than the four basic cables that were there," Stubb told reporters at this week's Baltic-focused NATO summit in Helsinki. The tanker, the Eagle S, was seized in late December as Finland probed recent damage to its Estlink-2 power line, one of two vital cables carrying electricity in the Baltic Sea. Four data cables were also severed. "There would have been an almost immediate danger that other cables or pipes related to our critical underwater infrastructure could have been damaged," said Lohi, who is the chief of Finland's National Bureau of Investigation. ............................... On Tuesday, Stubb said that Finland's security process for protecting the cables started with the private company overseeing them. If a cable is severed, the firm would alert the authorities, who then try to find possible ships around the location of the damage. "Once that happens, you identify the ship and contact the ship. Number four, you stop the ship," Stubb said. Stubb added that Finnish authorities would compel the ship to enter Finnish waters, where officers could then legally board the vessel. That process is set to change now. European members of NATO announced at the summit that they would launch a new program, called the "Baltic Sentry," to collectively patrol near Baltic Sea infrastructure. The surveillance program involves frigates, maritime aircraft, and "a small fleet of naval drones," said NATO's secretary-general, Mark Rutte, at the summit.
so the Washington Post is saying that it was all incompetence and poorly maintained ships...if their fleet is that bad, should it be allowed to operate in areas with strategic interests? Is there a maritime inspection agency or can you use insurance rates to get these poorly maintained and crewed ships out of action? Accidents, not Russian sabotage, behind undersea cable damage, officials say Ruptures of undersea cables that have rattled European security officials in recent months were likely the result of maritime accidents rather than Russian sabotage, according to several U.S. and European intelligence officials. The determination reflects an emerging consensus among U.S. and European security services, according to senior officials from three countries involved in ongoing investigations of a string of incidents in which critical seabed energy and communications lines have been severed. But so far, officials said, investigations involving the United States and a half-dozen European security services have turned up no indication that commercial ships suspected of dragging anchors across seabed systems did so intentionally or at the direction of Moscow. ...................................................... Instead, U.S. and European officials said that the evidence gathered to date — including intercepted communications and other classified intelligence — points to accidents caused by inexperienced crews serving aboard poorly maintained vessels. U.S. officials cited “clear explanations” that have come to light in each case indicating a likelihood that the damage was accidental, and a lack of evidence suggesting Russian culpability. Officials with two European intelligence services said that they concurred with U.S. assessments.
