European Commission proposes space-based monitoring system to detect underwater cable damage

The European Commission has proposed a pan-European space-based monitoring system to detect underwater cable damage and identify "suspicious activities at sea," said European Commissioner for Defence, Andrius Kubilius.

The plan is to leverage the European satellite system Copernicus as well as military and civilian marine drones for this purpose, Caliber.Az reports, referencing foreign media.

The proposal comes after incidents in the Baltic Sea, including the damage to an underwater fibre-optic cable laid between Latvia and Sweden on January 26, which is believed to have been caused by external factors. 

On December 26, 2024, the Finnish Border Guard detained the tanker Eagle S, suspected of involvement in the damage to the Estlink 2 underwater power cable linking Finland and Estonia. In November, the C-Lion1 and Arelion communication cables were also damaged in the Baltic, while a year earlier, the Balticconnector gas pipeline, running through the Gulf of Finland, was affected.

Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu expressed doubts about the frequent occurrence of such incidents, linking them to what he described as Russia's "shadow fleet."

In related news, European countries are reportedly holding behind-the-scenes discussions about large-scale seizures of tankers transporting Russian oil in the Baltic Sea.

By Aghakazim Guliyev