European investigators are saying that a Chinese commercial ship purposefully dragged its anchor in order to slash through two critical data cables, according to the The Wall Street Journal.
The Chinese ship had recently departed from Russia carrying Russian fertilizer when it crossed the Baltic Sea. Investigators say the alleged attack may have been orchestrated by Russian intelligence and do not think the Chinese government was involved. The Kremlin denied these claims.
The investigation is in a precarious spot: NATO states legally can’t require the Chinese ship to pull into one of their ports, so Swedish and German officials are negotiating with the ship’s owner in order to gain access to the boat and crew. The Wall Street Journal also reported that German police have dispatched drones to examine the broken cables and seabed.
It’s far from the only incident this year where European officials suspect Russia of harming critical infrastructure. However, sabotage can be incredibly difficult to prove, and the officials have often stopped short of making direct accusations.
