The causes of the leak are not yet clear, but the investigation is continuing to determine them. The leak caused the closure of the gas pipeline supplying Finland from Estonia on Sunday. “It is likely that the damage caused to the gas pipeline and telecommunications cable is the result of external activity,” Finnish President Sauli Niinistö announced in a statement on Tuesday.
The manager of the Finnish gas network announced on Sunday the closure of the gas pipeline due to a leak, rendering Finland’s last gas pipeline inoperable after the cessation of Russian imports. Gasgrid, a state company, then said it “suspected a leak”.
NATO in the know
“The damage caused to the underwater infrastructure was taken seriously and the causes have been under investigation since Sunday,” added Sauli Niinistö, who said he was in contact with NATO. The Secretary General of the Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, for his part indicated that he was in contact with the President of Finland. “NATO shares information and stands ready to support affected Allies,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Gasgrid, the manager of the “Balticconnector” gas pipeline, declared on Tuesday that it was able to develop “repair plans” and a work schedule. The situation in the Finnish gas system is stable and supply from the floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Inkoo (south) is assured, according to its press release.
This leak comes a year after the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipeline transporting natural gas from Russia to Germany on September 26, the origin of which still remains an enigma.