Poland is investigating whether explosive devices have been planted after a Russian "shadow fleet's" ship was seen suspiciously moving near a cable connecting Poland and Sweden on Wednesday. According to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Poland will be looking into the matter.

NATO has increased security in the Baltic after a series of incidents where power cables, telecommunication links and gas pipes were damaged following Russia's invasion in Ukraine in February 2022.

The "Shadow Fleet" is a term used to describe Russian vessels that violate international sanctions over the war in Ukraine by shipping oil, weapons and grains.

"We're still checking to see if any explosives have been planted. It has to be done very carefully." ORP Heweliusz, the Polish hydrographic ship is still at sea and there are currently no alarming signals," Tusk said to reporters during a Thursday meeting with Polish Navy Commanders.

He said: "I'm really satisfied that we were able to dissuade the ship, in a very discreet and effective way, from taking any action that might damage the cable, by using no unnecessary means."

The Defence Minister Wladyslaw KOSINIAK-KAMYSZ said that a Polish Patrol Flight had scared off the Russian Ship and ORP Heweliusz, a navy ship, sailed there to the scene.

The 600 megawatt cable undersea links the Swedish coast near Karlshamn to Ustka, in northern Poland. This allows both grids a reliance on cross-border supply when electricity in the other system is cheaper.

The Russian embassy in Warsaw refused to comment on Wednesday. Moscow has in the past denied any involvement in the Baltic Sea undersea sabotage, claiming that the West is using these claims to limit Russia's oil exports by sea. Reporting by Pawel F. Florkiewicz, Anna Wlodarczak Semczuk and Mark Heinrich.

(source: Reuters)