Russia says Baltic Sea cable damaged by ‘external impact’

Russia's state-controlled telecoms giant Rostelecom said Saturday that its underwater cable in the Baltic Sea had been damaged by an "external impact". (X/@RT_com)
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Updated 08 February 2025
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Russia says Baltic Sea cable damaged by ‘external impact’

  • Several undersea telecom and power cables have been severed in the Baltic Sea in recent months
  • Rostelecom’s operator told RIA Novosti news agency: “Repair work is being carried out”

MOSCOW: Russia’s state-controlled telecoms giant said Saturday that its underwater cable in the Baltic Sea had been damaged by an “external impact.”
Several undersea telecom and power cables have been severed in the Baltic Sea in recent months, with experts and politicians accusing Russia of orchestrating a hybrid war against Western countries supporting Ukraine.
“Some time ago in the Baltic Sea a Rostelecom underwater cable was damaged as the result of external impact,” Rostelecom’s operator told RIA Novosti news agency.
“Repair work is being carried out,” it added. The company said consumers were not affected.

Earlier Saturday, the Finnish coast guard said they were monitoring repairs of a Russian underwater cable carried out by a Russian vessel in the Gulf of Finland.
According to local authorities the undated incident took place inside Finland’s exclusive economic zone.
The spate of incidents led NATO countries to launch a patrol mission to protect critical underwater infrastructure in January.
Aircraft, frigates, submarines and drones have been deployed as part of the new operation, titled “Baltic Sentry.”
Finnish authorities said in November 2023 that a Rostelecom cable in the Baltic Sea was discovered damaged in October, roughly coinciding with damage to subsea infrastructure in Sweden and Finland.


Former South Korean interior minister jailed for 7 years in martial law case

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Former South Korean interior minister jailed for 7 years in martial law case

  • Lee Sang-min is the second member of Yoon’s cabinet to be sentenced for their role in the martial law declaration
SEOUL: A South Korean court on Thursday sentenced former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min to seven years in prison for his role in ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol’s botched attempt to place the country under martial law in December 2024.
The Seoul ‌Central District ‌Court found Lee, 61, ‌guilty of ⁠taking part in ⁠an insurrection by relaying instructions to police and fire agencies to cut power and water to media outlets. He also committed perjury by denying he had taken ⁠these actions during Yoon’s impeachment ‌proceedings, the ‌judge said.
“Using physical force against media outlets ‌critical of the government weakens public ‌opposition to the insurrection, making it easier for the plot to proceed,” judge Ryu Kyung-jin said.
Special prosecutors last month ‌sought a 15-year prison sentence, arguing the former interior minister played ⁠a ⁠critical role in enabling the insurrection — allegations Lee denied.
Lee has been in custody since August after a court approved his arrest.
He is the second member of Yoon’s cabinet to be sentenced for their role in the martial law declaration, after former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was sentenced to 23 years in jail in January.