Chinese ship that sabotaged Baltic Sea acted on Russian instructions - WSJ
The Chinese cargo vessel Yi Peng 3, suspected of damaging an underwater telecommunications cable in the Baltic Sea, was acting on instructions from Russian intelligence, and its routes had been changed in the run-up to the incident.
Here's What We Know
According to The Wall Street Journal, Russian intelligence instructed the ship's captain to damage the cables with an anchor. According to sources, the Mercury corvette of the Russian Black Sea Fleet was conducting reconnaissance for the Yi Peng 3, transmitting classified information to the headquarters in Kaliningrad.
The situation in the Baltic Sea has left NATO with a difficult response. According to the WSJ article, officials are refraining from directly blaming Russia to avoid panic.
Yi Peng 3. Illustration: Reuters
Changes in the routes of the Chinese vessel Yi Peng 3 were recorded in the spring of 2024. The vessel began calling at Russian ports, including Murmansk and Ust-Luga, although it had not visited Russia since 2015. The reasons for these changes remain unknown.
The telecommunications cable damaged on 18 November 2024 is the only direct underwater link between the Baltic States and Central Europe. After the incident, Finland, Germany, Sweden and Lithuania reported disruptions in their communication systems.
The Royal Danish Navy later detained the Yi Peng 3 and its crew for questioning and verification of details of their route and actions in the area where the cables were being run.
Source: WSJ
