Poland probes for explosives near undersea power cable after suspicious Russian ship activity

Polish authorities are investigating whether explosive devices were planted near a critical undersea power cable linking Poland and Sweden, following suspicious activity by a Russian “shadow fleet” vessel in the area, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Thursday.

Speaking during a meeting with Polish Navy commanders, Tusk confirmed that the ORP Heweliusz, a Polish hydrographic ship, is currently at sea conducting thorough inspections of the seabed. “We are still investigating whether any explosives were planted—it has to be checked very carefully,” he said. “For now, there are no worrisome signals.”

The term “shadow fleet” refers to vessels operating covertly to transport oil, arms, or grain in defiance of international sanctions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Tusk expressed satisfaction that Polish defense forces had effectively deterred any potential hostile actions without resorting to escalation. “We managed to discourage the ship from any kinetic actions that could cause damage to the power cable,” he added.

Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said a day earlier that a Polish patrol aircraft intercepted the Russian ship, forcing it to vacate the area, after which the navy deployed the ORP Heweliusz to the scene.

The cable in question is a 600-megawatt undersea interconnector linking Ustka, Poland, with Karlshamn, Sweden, and is essential for maintaining energy flexibility and grid security between the two nations.

NATO has stepped up Baltic Sea surveillance in recent months following several unexplained incidents involving telecommunications lines, power cables, and pipelines, many of which occurred amid heightened geopolitical tensions stemming from Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The Russian embassy in Warsaw declined to comment on the incident. In previous cases, Moscow has denied involvement in undersea sabotage, accusing Western governments of fabricating such incidents to disrupt Russian maritime trade.

The Polish investigation remains ongoing, and additional security measures for critical infrastructure are expected to follow.

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