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An undersea gas pipeline and telecommunications cable between Finland and Estonia sustained damage believed to be due to “external activity.”

Following an unusual drop in pressure in the Balticconnector gas pipeline on Sunday, the Finnish government reported the damage on Tuesday. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo commented, “According to a preliminary assessment, the observed damage could not have occurred as a result of normal use of the pipe or pressure fluctuations. It is likely that the damage is the result of external activity.”

While Finnish telecoms operator “Elisa” confirmed a break in a data cable over the weekend, Prime Minister Orpo refrained from speculating on potential culprits, including Russian involvement, until investigations conclude. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas mentioned continuous communication with the Finnish leader about the situation, stating, “Both Estonia and Finland are taking these incidents very seriously and are doing everything possible to determine the circumstances.” Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur revealed that the damage to the Balticconnector was “mechanical” and appeared “human-made.”

More on the pipeline:
The Balticconnector pipeline, a roughly 50-mile-long conduit, stretches across the Gulf of Finland and began operations in 2020, becoming Finland’s primary gas import channel.

This comes after a year after the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea were damaged, suspected to be due to sabotage.