The Baltic and Scandinavian countries plan to strengthen the monitoring of ship traffic in the Baltic Sea, said Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas after the damage to the Eastlink 2 submarine cable, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
The countries are working on an action plan to ensure the protection of energy infrastructure, he said after a government meeting in Vilnius, Lithuanian media reported.
They must monitor where ships are maneuvering and what risks their movement poses, also supported by technology, he said.
Lithuania will independently take additional monitoring measures after the damage to the Eastlink 2, the Minister of Energy said.
At the beginning of In December, the government in Vilnius decided that from 2025, security authorities will provide greater protection to several sites important for the country's energy supply.
The step comes after the undersea power cable “Estlink 2“ between Finland and Estonia was damaged on December 25. Investigators are looking into the possibility of sabotage.
Finnish authorities have detained the Cook Islands-flagged oil tanker “Eagle S“, whose anchor may have been used to damage the cable.
According to the EU, the vessel is part of Russia's “shadow fleet“ - tankers and other cargo ships that Russia uses to circumvent international sanctions by transporting, for example, oil.
Lithuania and other Baltic states have increased their vigilance and declared a state of alert due to possible sabotage after problems with several communication cables in the Baltic Sea, as well as the disruption of power lines and gas pipelines, occurred in recent weeks.