**Swedish Coast Guard Detains Ship Suspected of Damaging Undersea Cables**
The Swedish Coast Guard has detained a ship suspected of damaging undersea cables. The incident happened on January 26, when an underwater fiber-optic cable belonging to the Latvian State Radio and Television Broadcasting Center (LVRTC) was damaged.
**Investigation Launched**
Swedish prosecutors have launched an investigation into the incident. The Malta-flagged Vezhen, which departed from Russia’s Ust-Luga port several days earlier, was navigating near the site of damage when it was detained by the Swedish Coast Guard.
**Previous Incidents Raised Concerns**
This is not the first time that undersea cables have been damaged in the Baltic Sea. Previous incidents had raised concerns that Russian shadow fleet vessels were intentionally sabotaging energy and communication lines. As a result, NATO dispatched additional patrol ships to the area earlier this month.
**Accident or Sabotage?**
Intelligence services in the US and Europe are increasingly convinced that the incidents were caused by accidents, not sabotage. However, the investigation into the latest incident is still ongoing, and it remains to be seen what the cause of the damage was.
**Minimal Impact on Data Transmission**
Despite the damage, data transmission services continued using alternate routes, with minimal impact on most end users in Latvia aside from slower data transmission speeds.
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