It appears that the damage to the “Baltic Connector”, the gas pipeline that runs under the Baltic Sea and connects Finland and Estonia, was caused by a “fairly strong blow”. Estonian Foreign Minister Hanno Pevkur stated this in an interview with the Reuters news agency. “We still need to specify what exactly happened, but at the moment it looks like it was more of a mechanical blow or mechanical destruction,” the minister from Tallinn added, thus supporting the sabotage hypothesis put forward by the Finnish government yesterday.
The “Baltic Connector” was built in 2018 to transport natural gas from Finland to Estonia and into continental Europe. It became operational in 2020 and its importance became strategic after the start of the war in Ukraine and the resulting sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation.
The accident (or possible sabotage) occurred four days ago. On the night between Saturday, October 7, and Sunday, October 8, just before two o’clock, an unusual pressure drop in the pipeline was observed by the operators of the two countries, Gasgrid Finland Oy and Estonian Elering As.
“Due to the unusual pressure drop, it is logical to assume that the cause of the accident was the damage to the marine gas pipe and the resulting leak. The possible gas leak due to the suspected damage in the pipe section was stopped thanks to ‘isolation’. The two companies said in their statement that gas supplies in Finland were reduced thanks to the LNG terminal He explained that it could still be provided.
In the following days, Finnish officials openly spoke of possible sabotage. Recalling Moscow’s hand, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said, “It is very likely that the damage to the gas pipeline and communication cable was caused by external activities.” If sabotage is confirmed, it would be a real attack against a NATO country. Finland actually joined the Atlantic Alliance on April 4. The compromise on the natural gas pipeline caused gas prices to rise in Europe yesterday. Today, October 11, 2023, it is experiencing a slight decline, but the index is still affected by international tensions and the “Baltic Connector” incident.
And this is not the first case to occur in the region. Last year, a series of underwater explosions endangered three of the four gas pipelines that make up Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, the largest gas pipelines running from Russia to Eastern Europe.
In this context, Norway has strengthened security measures on gas pipelines and oil platforms in the Baltic. The risk is an escalation risk that could affect the entire area. The words of NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg, who is expected to make a speech on the “Baltic Connector” at yesterday and today’s ministerial meetings, are also eagerly awaited. And about what could be a new chapter in the war in Ukraine.
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Source: Today IT

Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.