Event 19

{
  "border_violation_countries": [
    "Estonia",
    "Sweden",
    "BSR"
  ],
  "border_violation_modes": [
    "Undersea",
    "Sabotage"
  ],
  "category": "Uncategorized",
  "confidence": "Low",
  "confidence_rationale": "Multiple direct quotes from authoritative news source describing sabotage as a possible cause and confirming an ongoing investigation jointly by Estonia and Sweden. Precise incident timing and location provided by the article and visual evidence from the screenshot.",
  "countries": [
    "Estonia",
    "Sweden",
    "Baltic Sea Region"
  ],
  "country": "Estonia",
  "defense_prep": {},
  "description": "Estonian authorities are investigating sabotage as a possible cause of the recent undersea telecom cable breakage between Estonia and Sweden. This follows a spate of similar ruptures in regional infrastructure, including the Balticconnector gas pipeline and another telecom cable to Finland.",
  "event_time_utc": "2023-10-19T12:00:00Z",
  "evidence": [
    "Official statements note criminal investigation underway into the cable breakage cause.",
    "Sabotage is described as one of the theories under investigation.",
    "Incident linked in time and location to other attacks on regional undersea infrastructure.",
    "Sabotage is actively being investigated as a potential cause of undersea cable damage.",
    "Incident is being probed alongside other recent infrastructure disruptions in the Baltic region.",
    "Joint investigation is underway involving Estonia and Sweden.",
    "Sabotage is under investigation as one possible cause of the recent telecoms cable breakage off the coast of Hiiumaa",
    "The incident, due to its proximity in both time and space to the rupture in the Balticconnector pipeline and a telecoms cable ... is being included as part of the same overall investigation",
    "A similar incident took place with a data cable, which runs between Finland and Estonia, and the Balticconnector pipeline",
    "Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said: 'What is clear is that this operation was carried out knowingly and purposely'",
    "Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson confirmed that sabotage was being considered among the possible causes"
  ],
  "evidence_quotes": [
    "Sabotage is being considered as one possible cause of the recent telecoms cable breakage off the coast of Hiiumaa.",
    "The incident, due to its proximity in both time and space to the rupture in the Balticconnector pipeline and a telecoms cable, both running between Estonia and Finland, is being included as part of the same overall investigation.",
    "The government convened a security committee meeting immediately after the cable breakage.",
    "\"A criminal investigation has been launched by the central Criminal Police to seek clarity on the causes of the incident and to assess potential foreign interference,\" according to an official statement.",
    "Sabotage is under investigation as one possible cause of the recent telecoms cable breakage off the coast of Hiiumaa",
    "it remains just a theory at present, though the incident, due to its proximity in both time and space to the rupture in the Balticconnector pipeline and a telecoms cable, both running between Estonia and Finland, is being included as part of the same overall investigation",
    "Estonia and Sweden are currently investigating together with close allies and partners",
    "The communications cable is one of those running under the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Estonia",
    "Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson confirmed that sabotage was being considered among the possible causes",
    "'What is clear is that this operation was carried out knowingly and purposely'"
  ],
  "evidence_urls": [
    "https://news.err.ee/1609137785/sabotage-investigated-as-one-possible-estonia-sweden-cable-breakage-cause"
  ],
  "extra": {
    "extra": {
      "extra": {
        "extra": {
          "evidence": [
            "Official statements note criminal investigation underway into the cable breakage cause.",
            "Sabotage is described as one of the theories under investigation.",
            "Incident linked in time and location to other attacks on regional undersea infrastructure."
          ]
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "follow_up_by_country": [
    {
      "country": "Estonia",
      "notes": "Criminal investigation launched; sabotage as one possible cause.",
      "status": "Investigation"
    }
  ],
  "follow_up_notes": "\"The Estonian-Sweden cable damage is being investigated in the same context as Estonian-Finnish Balticconnector pipeline and a telecoms cable.\"",
  "headline": "Sabotage investigated as one possible Estonia-Sweden cable breakage cause",
  "is_continuous": false,
  "location_text": "off the coast of Hiiumaa, Baltic Sea",
  "media_assets": [
    {
      "captured_at": "2025-11-23T15:58:03.802845Z",
      "description": "Screenshot capture",
      "hash": "60bfdf5b30c19d6305af2891425e49fd894850fe7593a7373bb663cf91ee54c1",
      "mime": "image/jpeg",
      "origin": "restore",
      "size_bytes": 2717335,
      "source_url": null,
      "type": "screenshot",
      "url": "/media/event_19_1763913483_0810fa5f.jpg"
    }
  ],
  "notes": "BALTICCONNECTOR",
  "schema_version": "v1",
  "screenshot_count": 1,
  "sources": [
    "https://news.err.ee/1609137785/sabotage-investigated-as-one-possible-estonia-sweden-cable-breakage-cause"
  ],
  "summary_short": "Authorities are investigating sabotage as one possible cause for the Estonia-Sweden undersea telecoms cable breakage near Hiiumaa, Estonia, with the event linked contextually to other recent infrastructure disruptions in the Baltic Sea.",
  "url": "https://news.err.ee/1609137785/sabotage-investigated-as-one-possible-estonia-sweden-cable-breakage-cause"
}

{
  "5th Column of Russians Inside (which countries)": "",
  "Attack Type": "",
  "Borders Including Sea, Air,  Violation or Sabotage (which countries)": "BSR",
  "Continuous? (e.g. Jammers)": "",
  "Country (FI;EE;LV;LT;PL;BSR;Air)\nSeparated by Semicolon": "EE;BSR",
  "Date": "19-Oct-23",
  "Defense Prep Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL)": "",
  "Defense Prep Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL) REF LINK": "",
  "Follow-Up Link?  (FI,EE,LV,LT,PL, BSR, Air)": "https://news.err.ee/1609137785/sabotage-investigated-as-one-possible-estonia-sweden-cable-breakage-cause",
  "Follow-Up NOTES": "",
  "Follow-Up incl. Investigation, Prosecution?  (FI,EE,LV,LT,PL, BSR, Air)": "\"The Estonian-Sweden cable damage is being investigated in the same context as Estonian-Finnish Balticconnector pipeline and a telecoms cable.\"",
  "Latitude, Longitude (WGS84, Decimal Degrees)": "",
  "NOTES": "BALTICCONNECTOR",
  "Political Disruptions w/ Laws to Favor Kremlin (which countries)": "",
  "Russian-Belarus Terrorist Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL)": "",
  "Russian-Belarus Terrorist Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL) REF LINK": "",
  "Screen Snapshot": "",
  "Screen Snapshots": "",
  "Type Dropdown": "",
  "Where?\n(Air, Land, Sea)": ""
}