Suspected gas leak in the Gulf of Finland

Petteri Orpo. Jussi Nukari / AP  

 

Suspected gas leak in the Gulf of Finland  

Orpo: The leak on the gas pipeline has been found in Finnish water - increasing preparedness  

 

The leak on the Balticconnector gas pipeline has been located in Finnish waters, and it is likely that it was caused on purpose, says Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo at a press conference, according to HBL.  

 

- Preparedness is heightened and we cooperate both within the country's borders and with our partners abroad.  

 

The damage is described as serious and is expected to take months to repair. Markku Hassinen at the border police emphasizes that it is not a matter of a leak 

 

- "it is about vandalism". The authorities emphasize that the energy supply is stable and that no gas shortage will occur.  

 

The Central Criminal Police has started a preliminary investigation under the heading of aggravated vandalism. Orpo adds that it is too early to speculate on who might be behind it. 

 

An undersea cable for data traffic has also been damaged, but traffic has been moved to a backup cable.  

Compression station for Balticconnector. Mikko Stig / AP  

 

Seismologists have measured a probable explosion at the leak 

 

The Norwegian seismological institute Norsar registered a probable explosion in the area where the leak on the Finnish-Estonian gas pipeline was later discovered. It was measured on the night of Sunday at 01:20 local time, writes AFP.  

 

Björn Lund, seismologist at Uppsala University, has also analyzed measurement data from several stations with Nordic colleagues. 

 

- Together we have now seen that there was probably a small explosion in the Gulf of Finland, he tells Ekot. 

 

At a press conference earlier on Tuesday, the Finnish government stated that it had located the leak, and that it was likely sabotage.  

 

Marco Nilsson/Finnish Coast Guard vessel Turva near the site of the leak. TT/AP  

 

Expert: Russia has the opportunity and capacity  

 

If Russia is behind the suspected sabotage of the Finnish-Estonian gas pipeline, it is a dangerous escalation – destruction rather than hybrid impact. This is what political scientist Marco Nilsson tells TT.  

It has not been determined who is behind it, but ever since Finland joined NATO, they have been waiting for a Russian reaction, he continues.  

 

- If you think about Russia's possible involvement, there is a lot of Russian traffic in the area. They have had the opportunity and capacity.  

 

A possible Russian sabotage could be a signal to Finland and NATO that Russia has the opportunity to damage the infrastructure of NATO countries, and is prepared to escalate, says Nilsson.