Lithuania Urges Enhanced Baltic Infrastructure Security After Optical Cable Damage

Lithuania Calls for Stronger Baltic Infrastructure Security

Lithuania's Foreign Minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, has emphasized the critical need for closer cooperation among Baltic states to bolster the security of their vital infrastructure. This call comes in the wake of a recent incident involving the likely severing of an optical cable connecting Lithuania and Latvia in the Baltic Sea. The damage, which occurred on January 2, 2026, near Latvia's port of Liepaja, has prompted an ongoing investigation by Latvian authorities.

Minister Landsbergis highlighted that if the incident proves to be an intentional act by another state, the response should extend beyond mere financial compensation to include significant political accountability. He stated, 'If this was the action of another state and it was intentional, responsibility cannot be limited to financial compensation for damage to property - there must also be political responsibility.' He further stressed that coastal states whose assets, such as cables and pipelines, are located in or depend on the operation of these areas, must possess the right to take action against vessels suspected of causing damage.

Investigation Underway for Cable Damage

The damaged optical cable, which belongs to the Swedish fibre-optics group Arelion, runs between Šventoji in Lithuania and Liepaja in Latvia. Latvian police initiated criminal proceedings and inspected a vessel in Liepaja in connection with the incident. However, as of January 5, 2026, initial checks found no evidence directly linking the inspected ship to the damage. Despite the disruption, authorities have confirmed that the incident has not affected telecommunications services for consumers in either Latvia or Lithuania.

Heightened Concerns Over Baltic Sea Infrastructure

This latest incident adds to a growing list of damages to undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea region since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The region has been on high alert due to a series of power cable, telecom link, and gas pipeline outages, leading to increased concerns about hybrid threats. Other recent incidents include:

• A Finland-Estonia cable damaged on December 31, 2025.
• A separate cable between Estonia and Sweden that stopped working on December 30, 2025.

Previous Steps Towards Regional Security

The Baltic states have already been actively working to enhance their collective security, particularly concerning critical infrastructure. In June 2025, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cooperation on the protection and resilience of critical energy infrastructure. This agreement established a cross-national and cross-agency working group aimed at improving coordination, information sharing, and joint implementation of security measures against physical, cyber, and other threats. The ongoing incidents serve as a 'reminder that our homework is not finished,' according to Minister Landsbergis, underscoring the continuous need for vigilance and robust regional defense strategies.