Denmark’s Defense Command has stated it is “present” in the area near the Chinese cargo ship Yi Peng 3, which is anchored off Denmark’s coast. The ship is suspected of involvement in the recent damage to fiber-optic communication cables in the Baltic Sea.
Western capitals have raised concerns, claiming that the damage to two critical cables in the Baltic Sea is likely the result of deliberate actions.
The Chinese ship, reportedly operated by a Russian naval officer, was traveling from the Russian port of Ust-Luga. It is suspected that the ship passed over the area in the Baltic where the cables connecting Sweden and Lithuania are located.
While European governments and Washington have not directly implicated Moscow in the damage, they have accused Russia of orchestrating “hybrid attacks” on Western infrastructure as a way to punish European countries for their support of Ukraine’s military in its fight against invading Russian forces.
Some analysts have suggested that the ship might have damaged the cables while anchoring.
“Danish Defense can confirm that we are present in the area near the Chinese ship, Yi Peng 3,” Denmark’s Defense Command stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter), as reported by RFE/RL.
In past incidents, Ukraine’s allies have accused Moscow of sabotage, particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Baltic state authorities are currently investigating the cable breakages – one of which connects Finland and Germany – following similar incidents in recent years.
