Undersea Electricity Cable Generates Friction Between Russia and Baltics
An undersea power cable aimed at reducing the Baltic states’ energy dependence on Russia has emerged as the latest point of friction in a region increasingly enveloped in a Cold War atmosphere.
Sweden and Lithuania, which are at either end of the proposed 280-mile electricity line, have complained that Russian warships have repeatedly interrupted the installation.
The latest such incident, the third in two months, occurred last week when the Russian Navy ordered a vessel involved in the cable-laying work to leave the area, according to Sweden and Lithuania. Although the vessel was in Lithuania’s exclusive economic zone, it was sent away for as much as 10 hours.
The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry, which has summoned the Russian ambassador to express “a strong protest”, said Wednesday it would consider legal action against Russia were a similar incident to happen again. Sweden backed its Baltic neighbor, with its Foreign Ministry saying it took the matter “very seriously.”