Finland has apparently discovered deliberate damage to one of its gas pipelines. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said on Tuesday afternoon that the damage to the underwater ‘Baltic Connector’ leading to Estonia did not occur ‘naturally’.
In addition to the pipeline, a communications cable lying on the seabed was also said to have been cut. Finland and Estonia are members of the NATO defense alliance. “It is not yet known what exactly caused the damage,” said a press release from the Finnish government.
The operating companies of ‘Balticconnector’, Gasgrid from Finland and Elering from Estonia, noticed a sudden pressure drop in the pipeline on Sunday morning. Gas transport between the two EU countries was subsequently stopped. The operators have announced investigations. According to reports, the army and the secret service were also involved in the investigation.
Stoltenberg: “NATO exchanges information”
The Secretary General of NATO stated on the X platform (formerly Twitter) that he had contacted government representatives from both countries. “NATO is sharing information and stands ready to support affected allies.”
According to unconfirmed reports in the Finnish media, this may be due to a leak. According to information from radio station Yle, it should not be an accident. The newspaper “Iltalehti” even reported that the government and military suspected that Russia had attacked the line. Nothing was initially confirmed by the government, but the Finnish government convened a press conference at short notice on Tuesday.
“Due to the unusual pressure drop, there is a reasonable suspicion that the cause of the incident was damage to the offshore gas pipeline and a resulting leak,” Gasgrid said on Tuesday. The gas leak was stopped by insulating the route.
Pipeline is brand new
“Balticconnector” was put into use at the beginning of 2020. The approximately 150 kilometer long pipeline runs from Inkoo in Finland via the Gulf of Finland to Paldiski in Estonia; the affected offshore section in the sea is more than 77 kilometers long. It is significantly shorter than the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, which were severely damaged in acts of sabotage near the Danish Baltic Sea island of Bornholm about a year ago.
It is still unclear who was behind the Nord Stream attacks. There are media investigations blaming Ukraine and others tracing leads to Russia.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
