An incident on a gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia alerted authorities on Sunday. The pipeline operators reported an unusual pressure drop in the gas pipeline. As a result, the companies stopped transporting gas between the two EU countries, writes the German news agency.
The incident evoked memories in Europe of the destruction of the Nord Stream I and II pipelines, which are also located in the Baltic Sea. The two attacks, which have not yet been solved, took place in September last year.
The situation surrounding the pipeline between Estonia and Finland is still unclear. We have summarized what is known so far.
What do we know about the Baltic Sea incident?
On Sunday morning, operating company Gasgrid reported an unusual pressure drop in the Balticconnector pipeline. It is now clear that the pressure loss is caused by a leak in the pipe. The affected offshore section in the sea is no less than 77 kilometers long, writes the German news agency.
Finnish Prime Minister Sauli Niinistö had already spoken about targeted action on Tuesday. In addition to the pipeline, a telecommunications cable was also damaged in the incident, the French news agency AFP wrote.
The Finnish president had already announced joint investigations with the responsible authorities in Estonia on Tuesday. “It is clear to see that this damage was caused by a fairly strong military force,” Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said on Wednesday. Estonian operator Elering said it had already been ruled out that the mechanical damage to the pipeline was caused by a heavy storm.
The “damage to underwater infrastructure” would be “taken seriously,” Niinistö said. The Norwegian seismological research facility Norsar reinforces Niinistö’s suspicions. Researchers at the institute had registered signs of a possible explosion near the pipeline at the time the Balticconnector pipeline was damaged. The institute announced further analyzes on Tuesday.
Who could have an interest in destroying the pipeline?
As with the Nord Stream leaks last year, a possible cause of the damage is not yet known. Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur recently spoke of a deliberate action.
“It is clear that Russia has a motive. The Kremlin threatened retaliation if Finland joined NATO after the all-out invasion of Ukraine,” speculates the liberal Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter. Finland only joined the defense alliance in the spring.
On Wednesday, the Kremlin commented on the pipeline incident. A Kremlin spokesman called the events “alarming,” the Russian news agency Interfax wrote.
Sabotage by Russia?
Shortly before the explosions on the Nord Stream pipelines, special ships were equipped there for underwater operations at the crime scene. International research subsequently confirmed many details of the report. Recently, the German federal government also admitted that it had forwarded information from the Bundeswehr to the federal prosecutor general.
Scandinavian media also highlighted another Russian ship, which was active at the crime scene several months before the explosions, as evidenced by satellite images and intercepted radio messages. The approximately 86 meter long “Sibiryakov” is a hydrographic research vessel equipped for underwater operations and often accompanies Russian submarines in the Baltic Sea.
For this purpose it is equipped with, among other things, a mini-submarine. According to the study, it is part of a large-scale effort by the Kremlin to map NATO’s critical infrastructure.
Report confirms position of Russian ship
It is now known that she apparently stayed near the new leak on the Baltic Connector three times for several days this year. This is evident from a report by the Polish security company Rochan Consulting, which, among other things, monitors the movements of the Russian fleet in the Baltic states. The report is available to t-online and is again based on intercepted radio signals, so-called weather and position reports, as Miłosz Gapiński from Rochan Consulting explained to t-online.
Gapiński concluded from the ship’s other activities that the Sibiryakov was probably interested in the critical infrastructure on the seabed. Ship movements of the Finnish Navy, which t-online was able to track through public position data, suggest that the leak is in the area of the pipeline in which the “Siberyakov” also operated.
How important is the Baltic Sea pipeline?
The Balticconnector pipeline between Estonia and Finland was put into service in 2020. With a length of about 150 kilometers, it is many times smaller than the Nord Stream pipelines. Since gas imports from Russia were stopped in May 2022, the Baltic Connector has been the only line through which Finland can import gas.
However, there is currently no threat to the country’s gas supply, according to operator Gasgrid. A liquefied gas terminal in Inkoo, southern Finland, would continue to guarantee supply.
About five percent of Finland’s energy supply depends on natural gas. The source is mainly used for industry and cogeneration, writes the AFP.
What are the economic consequences of the pipeline closure?
The closure of the pipeline has consequences for the gas price in Europe. After the gas price had risen sharply on Monday, prices on the European natural gas market rose again on Tuesday.
On the Amsterdam stock exchange the price was a maximum of 47.70 francs per megawatt hour. However, the current price increases are not comparable to the price increases resulting from the Russian war against Ukraine. After Russia severely cut back its gas supplies to Europe, approximately 300 francs per megawatt hour had to be paid temporarily.
What reactions have there been to the situation in the Baltic Sea so far?
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced investigations on Wednesday. If it is a “targeted attack on critical NATO infrastructure,” there will be “a unified and decisive response from NATO,” Stoltenberg explained.
Following the incidents in the Baltic Sea, the Federal Government assured the two affected states of its full solidarity and support. The Foreign Ministry in Berlin said on Wednesday that a thorough investigation was needed to clarify who was responsible for this damage.
The ministry also works with other EU and NATO partners to strengthen the protection of critical undersea infrastructure. Lithuanian Energy Minister Dainius Kreivys also spoke out on Wednesday in favor of better protection of energy infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
