On January 26, 2025, a Latvian undersea optical fiber cable operated by LVRTC in the Baltic Sea was damaged, with Latvian National Armed Forces inspecting a ship possibly involved.

Energy & Infrastructure AttacksCritical Infrastructure SabotagePower grids, pipelines

AggressorDefense

Summary

On January 26, 2025, the Latvian state-owned telecommunications company LVRTC reported damage to its undersea optical fiber cable in the Baltic Sea connecting Latvia and Estonia. The damaged infrastructure is critical for telecommunications in the region. Following the incident, the Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) conducted an inspection of a vessel suspected to be involved in the damage, located near Latvian waters. The incident has caused disruptions to the cable network managed by LVRTC. Latvian authorities are investigating the repair process and possible involvement of foreign actors. The Ministry of Defence confirmed military surveillance measures were enhanced. NATO partners were informed of the incident. This damage to vital communications infrastructure is viewed seriously given regional security tensions in the Baltic Sea area.

Classification

Confidence: High

Classified as aggressor event because the report indicates damage to critical Latvian undersea infrastructure with suspicion of involvement by a specific ship, implying hostile sabotage. Classified as defense preparation due to Latvian National Armed Forces inspecting the vessel, enhancing surveillance, and notifying NATO partners, indicating defensive measures and response.

Source URL

https://lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/latvija/26.01.2025-bojats-lvrtc-baltijas-jura-esosais-zemudens-optisko-skiedru-kabelis.a585214

Open source

Provenance

Publisher: csv-import
Submitted: Feb 1, 2026, 00:14 UTC
Last updated: Nov 8, 2026, 21:29 UTC
Event time: Jan 26, 2025, 00:00 UTC

Published as a Defense Preparations signal with a public source and reviewer-approved assessment bands. See the methodology for how records are assessed.

Raw record

{
  "id": "e9388214-5027-4962-ab56-d0ad21ad8ac5",
  "url": "https://lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/latvija/26.01.2025-bojats-lvrtc-baltijas-jura-esosais-zemudens-optisko-skiedru-kabelis.a585214",
  "source": "csv-import",
  "status": "approved",
  "category": "Energy & Infrastructure Attacks",
  "subcategory": "Critical Infrastructure Sabotage",
  "incident_type": "Power grids, pipelines",
  "country": "Latvia",
  "source_reliability": "C",
  "info_credibility": "3",
  "tags": [
    "Baltic Sea",
    "LVRTC",
    "undersea cable",
    "optical fiber cable",
    "infrastructure sabotage",
    "telecommunications disruption",
    "Latvia",
    "National Armed Forces",
    "Baltic security",
    "NATO notification"
  ],
  "nodes": [],
  "countries": [],
  "where_text": "Undersea",
  "headline": null,
  "description": "Latvian state telecom operator LVRTC discovered damage to its Baltic Sea undersea optical fiber cable connecting Latvia and Estonia on January 26, 2025. The National Armed Forces inspected a ship suspected to be involved near Latvian territorial waters. Damage to the cable has resulted in disruptions affecting telecommunications connectivity. LVRTC and authorities are actively assessing repair options. The Ministry of Defence detailed that the vessel presented suspicious activity patterns possibly linked to the cable damage. Close military surveillance of the area is ongoing. Latvian officials have notified NATO allies. The incident is treated within the broader context of hybrid threats and regional security concerns in the Baltic Sea zone.",
  "summary_short": "On January 26, 2025, a Latvian undersea optical fiber cable operated by LVRTC in the Baltic Sea was damaged, with Latvian National Armed Forces inspecting a ship possibly involved.",
  "summary_extended": "On January 26, 2025, the Latvian state-owned telecommunications company LVRTC reported damage to its undersea optical fiber cable in the Baltic Sea connecting Latvia and Estonia. The damaged infrastructure is critical for telecommunications in the region. Following the incident, the Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) conducted an inspection of a vessel suspected to be involved in the damage, located near Latvian waters. The incident has caused disruptions to the cable network managed by LVRTC. Latvian authorities are investigating the repair process and possible involvement of foreign actors. The Ministry of Defence confirmed military surveillance measures were enhanced. NATO partners were informed of the incident. This damage to vital communications infrastructure is viewed seriously given regional security tensions in the Baltic Sea area.",
  "actor_primary": "LVRTC",
  "target_primary": null,
  "location_text": "Baltic Sea near Latvian territorial waters",
  "location_region": null,
  "location_coordinates_lat": null,
  "location_coordinates_lon": null,
  "location_precision": "Regional",
  "is_aggressor_signal": true,
  "signal_type": "DEFENSE_PREP_SIGNAL",
  "is_hybrid_war_signal": true,
  "classification_complete": true,
  "hybrid_signal_complete": true,
  "classification_confidence": "High",
  "classification_rationale": "Classified as aggressor event because the report indicates damage to critical Latvian undersea infrastructure with suspicion of involvement by a specific ship, implying hostile sabotage. Classified as defense preparation due to Latvian National Armed Forces inspecting the vessel, enhancing surveillance, and notifying NATO partners, indicating defensive measures and response.",
  "event_time_utc": "2025-01-26T00:00:00.000Z",
  "end_time_utc": "2025-01-26T06:00:00.000Z",
  "event_time_confidence": "pm6h",
  "created_at": "2026-02-01T00:14:49.915Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-08T21:29:39.062Z",
  "reliability_band": "strong",
  "location_precision_band": "regional",
  "time_precision_band": "within_6h",
  "severity_band": "moderate",
  "attribution_confidence_band": "low",
  "attribution_basis": "single_source"
}

Public assessmentReliability: StrongSeverity: ModerateAttribution: LowSingle sourceTime: Within 6 hoursLocation: Regional

Source reliability

Info credibility

Event time

Jan 26, 2025, 00:00 UTC

End time

Jan 26, 2025, 06:00 UTC

Event time confidence

pm6h

Location

Baltic Sea near Latvian territorial waters

Primary actor

LVRTC

Country

Latvia

Tags

Baltic Sea, LVRTC, undersea cable, optical fiber cable, infrastructure sabotage, telecommunications disruption, Latvia, National Armed Forces, Baltic security, NATO notification

Loading signal...

{ "id": "e9388214-5027-4962-ab56-d0ad21ad8ac5", "url": "https://lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/latvija/26.01.2025-bojats-lvrtc-baltijas-jura-esosais-zemudens-optisko-skiedru-kabelis.a585214", "source": "csv-import", "status": "approved", "category": "Energy & Infrastructure Attacks", "subcategory": "Critical Infrastructure Sabotage", "incident_type": "Power grids, pipelines", "country": "Latvia", "source_reliability": "C", "info_credibility": "3", "tags": [ "Baltic Sea", "LVRTC", "undersea cable", "optical fiber cable", "infrastructure sabotage", "telecommunications disruption", "Latvia", "National Armed Forces", "Baltic security", "NATO notification" ], "nodes": [], "countries": [], "where_text": "Undersea", "headline": null, "description": "Latvian state telecom operator LVRTC discovered damage to its Baltic Sea undersea optical fiber cable connecting Latvia and Estonia on January 26, 2025. The National Armed Forces inspected a ship suspected to be involved near Latvian territorial waters. Damage to the cable has resulted in disruptions affecting telecommunications connectivity. LVRTC and authorities are actively assessing repair options. The Ministry of Defence detailed that the vessel presented suspicious activity patterns possibly linked to the cable damage. Close military surveillance of the area is ongoing. Latvian officials have notified NATO allies. The incident is treated within the broader context of hybrid threats and regional security concerns in the Baltic Sea zone.", "summary_short": "On January 26, 2025, a Latvian undersea optical fiber cable operated by LVRTC in the Baltic Sea was damaged, with Latvian National Armed Forces inspecting a ship possibly involved.", "summary_extended": "On January 26, 2025, the Latvian state-owned telecommunications company LVRTC reported damage to its undersea optical fiber cable in the Baltic Sea connecting Latvia and Estonia. The damaged infrastructure is critical for telecommunications in the region. Following the incident, the Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) conducted an inspection of a vessel suspected to be involved in the damage, located near Latvian waters. The incident has caused disruptions to the cable network managed by LVRTC. Latvian authorities are investigating the repair process and possible involvement of foreign actors. The Ministry of Defence confirmed military surveillance measures were enhanced. NATO partners were informed of the incident. This damage to vital communications infrastructure is viewed seriously given regional security tensions in the Baltic Sea area.", "actor_primary": "LVRTC", "target_primary": null, "location_text": "Baltic Sea near Latvian territorial waters", "location_region": null, "location_coordinates_lat": null, "location_coordinates_lon": null, "location_precision": "Regional", "is_aggressor_signal": true, "signal_type": "DEFENSE_PREP_SIGNAL", "is_hybrid_war_signal": true, "classification_complete": true, "hybrid_signal_complete": true, "classification_confidence": "High", "classification_rationale": "Classified as aggressor event because the report indicates damage to critical Latvian undersea infrastructure with suspicion of involvement by a specific ship, implying hostile sabotage. Classified as defense preparation due to Latvian National Armed Forces inspecting the vessel, enhancing surveillance, and notifying NATO partners, indicating defensive measures and response.", "event_time_utc": "2025-01-26T00:00:00.000Z", "end_time_utc": "2025-01-26T06:00:00.000Z", "event_time_confidence": "pm6h", "created_at": "2026-02-01T00:14:49.915Z", "updated_at": "2026-11-08T21:29:39.062Z", "reliability_band": "strong", "location_precision_band": "regional", "time_precision_band": "within_6h", "severity_band": "moderate", "attribution_confidence_band": "low", "attribution_basis": "single_source" }