An undersea data cable between Latvia and Sweden was damaged early on January 26, the latest in a series of similar incidents in the Baltic Sea in which critical seabed energy and communications lines are believed to have been severed by ships traveling to or from Russian ports.

Intelligence officials in the U.S. and Europe have suggested that recent incidents damaging critical cables in the Baltic Sea were accidental, according to a Washington Post report. Western geostrategic self-deception has overly emphasized fears of escalation and cornering Russia.

The President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, has admitted there is no certainty about who is responsible for the severed cables in the Baltic Sea. Local media suggest that the authorities might be concealing Russia's involvement.

Oil flows via Russia's Ust-Luga port in the Baltic Sea appear to have paused in the aftermath of an alleged Ukrainian drone attack, Bloomberg reported on Jan. 30, citing shipping data and a source with knowledge of the oil deliveries.

Oil pumping through the Russian Baltic port of Ust-Luga has been suspended. This happened after an attack on the Andreapol oil pumping station, Bloomberg informs. "It would present a significant new supply threat for the global oil market if it were to be confirmed that Ukrainian drone strikes have damaged the pipeline system feeding Ust-Luga,