Event 26

{
  "border_violation_countries": [
    "BSR"
  ],
  "category": "Uncategorized",
  "confidence": "Low",
  "confidence_rationale": "Official government statement, direct confirmation of sabotage/tampering, international responses, and ongoing investigation confirm reliability.",
  "countries": [
    "Sweden",
    "Estonia",
    "Baltic Sea Region"
  ],
  "country": "Sweden",
  "defense_prep": {},
  "description": "An undersea telecommunications cable connecting Sweden and Estonia has been damaged by external force or tampering, according to confirmation by Swedish officials. The damage was detected on Tuesday 17 October 2023. Swedish and Estonian authorities, along with NATO, have responded by increasing maritime surveillance and sending investigative resources to the area. The incident is under active investigation, with suspicions focused on deliberate sabotage.",
  "event_time_utc": "2023-10-24T12:00:00Z",
  "evidence": [
    "Official government statement confirming damage to the cable and ongoing investigation.",
    "Quotes from Swedish Minister for Defence and agencies indicating external force/tampering.",
    "Reference to NATO's increased presence and response activities.",
    "Official press release from Government Offices of Sweden published 19 October 2023, updated 23 October 2023",
    "Quotes from Swedish Minister for Defence, Minister for Civil Defence, and Swedish Coast Guard officials",
    "Increased NATO and Swedish Armed Forces activity in response to the incident",
    "Official Swedish government confirmation of deliberate damage to undersea telecom cable between Sweden and Estonia.",
    "Swedish and Estonian investigations are ongoing, with deployment of navy and support from NATO.",
    "Increase in regional maritime and aerial surveillance post-incident."
  ],
  "evidence_quotes": [
    "It has been confirmed that an undersea telecommunications cable between Sweden and Estonia has been damaged by means of external force or tampering.",
    "Swedish government agencies have received information that a telecommunications cable running between Sweden and Estonia was damaged.",
    "The damage seems to have occurred in close connection to two other known incidents: one on a Finnish-Estonian gas pipeline and one on a Finnish-Estonian communications cable.",
    "There are clear indications that the cable has been damaged through external force or tampering.",
    "The Swedish authorities are investigating the situation in close collaboration with their Estonian counterparts.",
    "NATO has increased their presence in the Baltic Sea by deploying a minesweeping vessel and through increased air surveillance.",
    "Estonia has reported damage to the gas pipeline and communications cable between Estonia and Finland is related to the damage of the communications cable between Sweden and Estonia",
    "Swedish authorities are investigating the situation in close collaboration with their Estonian counterparts.",
    "The Swedish Armed Forces vessel HMS Belos has been deployed to the location to investigate.",
    "There are clear indications that the cable has been damaged through the use of force or tampering.",
    "NATO has increased their presence in the Baltic Sea by deploying a minesweeper vessel and through increased air surveillance."
  ],
  "evidence_urls": [
    "https://government.se/articles/2023/10/damaged-telecommunications-cable-between-sweden-and-estonia/"
  ],
  "extra": {
    "extra": {
      "extra": {
        "extra": {
          "evidence": [
            "Official government statement confirming damage to the cable and ongoing investigation.",
            "Quotes from Swedish Minister for Defence and agencies indicating external force/tampering.",
            "Reference to NATO's increased presence and response activities."
          ]
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "follow_up_by_country": [
    {
      "country": "Sweden",
      "link": "https://government.se/articles/2023/10/damaged-telecommunications-cable-between-sweden-and-estonia/",
      "notes": "Authorities are investigating with Estonian counterparts and have deployed naval assets.",
      "status": "Investigation"
    },
    {
      "country": "Estonia",
      "link": "https://government.se/articles/2023/10/damaged-telecommunications-cable-between-sweden-and-estonia/",
      "notes": "Cooperating with Sweden on technical investigation.",
      "status": "Investigation"
    }
  ],
  "follow_up_notes": "EE BSR Investigation",
  "headline": "Damaged telecommunications cable between Sweden and Estonia",
  "location_text": "Cable between Sweden and Estonia, Baltic Sea",
  "media_assets": [
    {
      "captured_at": "2025-11-23T16:02:04.955179Z",
      "description": "Screenshot capture",
      "hash": "b96d1746e4c4dc3fd51bdffac7e3c6ac63b96da97cd3bc9fe51a5933effca56a",
      "mime": "image/jpeg",
      "origin": "restore",
      "size_bytes": 1223467,
      "source_url": null,
      "type": "screenshot",
      "url": "/media/event_26_1763913724_23ba08f2.jpg"
    }
  ],
  "notes": "BALTICCONNECTOR",
  "schema_version": "v1",
  "screenshot_count": 1,
  "sources": [
    "https://government.se/articles/2023/10/damaged-telecommunications-cable-between-sweden-and-estonia/"
  ],
  "summary_short": "Damage to the undersea cable between Sweden and Estonia due to external force or tampering; ongoing investigation and heightened NATO/Baltic security.",
  "url": "https://government.se/articles/2023/10/damaged-telecommunications-cable-between-sweden-and-estonia/"
}

{
  "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": "24-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://government.se/articles/2023/10/damaged-telecommunications-cable-between-sweden-and-estonia/",
  "Follow-Up NOTES": "",
  "Follow-Up incl. Investigation, Prosecution?  (FI,EE,LV,LT,PL, BSR, Air)": "EE BSR Investigation",
  "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)": " It has been confirmed that the telecommunications cable between Sweden and Estonia was damaged through external force or tampering. NATO has increased their presence in the Baltic Sea by deploying a minesweeping vessel and increased air surveillance.",
  "Russian-Belarus Terrorist Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL) REF LINK": " https://government.se/articles/2023/10/damaged-telecommunications-cable-between-sweden-and-estonia/",
  "Screen Snapshot": "",
  "Screen Snapshots": "",
  "Type Dropdown": "",
  "Where?\n(Air, Land, Sea)": ""
}