China and Russia both deny knowledge of damage to cables in the Baltic Sea. This is reported by the Norwegian news agency NTB and the Russian news agency Tass.
- To continue accusing Russia without being able to substantiate it is quite absurd, says the spokesman for the Russian parliament, the Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov.
- It is Ukraine that likes to carry out sabotage and terrorist acts in the Baltic Sea, he adds.
From the Chinese side, it is said that China attaches great importance to protecting underwater infrastructure.
- China has always fulfilled its obligations and requires that its ships strictly adhere to maritime legislation, says Lin Jian, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The statements come two days after local authorities reported damage to submarine cables between Finland and Germany and Sweden and Lithuania, respectively. On Tuesday, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said he believes the damage to the cables in the Baltic Sea is due to sabotage.
- No one believes that these cables were cut by accident, he said.
Swedish officials have also expressed suspicions of sabotage.
The Chinese ship Yi Peng 3 was reportedly sailing near the cables when they were damaged. The Danish Defense Ministry has been monitoring the ship since Tuesday, but has no further comments on the matter. On Wednesday evening, the ship was anchored outside Grenaa. The ship was last in port in the Russian port of Ust-Luga.
According to the Finnish security police Skypo, around 200 submarine cables break in the Baltic Sea every year. Human error is often the cause.
/ritzau/
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