The threat of Russian operations against Finland’s critical infrastructure has increased since the country joined NATO, the Finnish intelligence service said Thursday as Helsinki probes potential sabotage of its natural gas pipeline.
“The threat of espionage and influencing operations against critical infrastructure has increased,” the director of the Finnish Security Intelligence Service (Supo), Antti Pelttari, told reporters at a press conference.
Relations with Helsinki’s powerful neighbour to the east have “significantly deteriorated” after Finland’s NATO accession in April, and Russia is “prepared to take measures against Finland,” Supo said in its annual security review.
The Nordic country is currently investigating a leak that led to the shutdown of the Balticconnector natural gas pipeline from Estonia to Finland on Sunday, which officials have said was most likely caused by “external” action.
When asked about potential Russian involvement, Pelttari refused to speculate but said “the involvement of a state actor cannot be excluded.”
The Finnish government has cautioned against leaping to any conclusions before all information has been gathered.
Finland shares a 1,340-kilometre (830-mile) border with Russia. Its NATO membership has doubled the US-led alliance’s border with Russia.
News of the pipeline’s breach raised questions, coming a year after blasts breached the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea carrying natural gas from Russia to Western Europe.
Despite the Balticconnector shutdown, operator Gasgrid said Finland’s gas system was stable, with the supply of gas secured through liquefied natural gas imports.
Gasgrid said on Wednesday it would take at least five months to repair the pipeline.
Supo said operations to cripple Finnish infrastructure remained “unlikely in the immediate future” and the Russian operations were mainly aimed at deterrence.
“The energy sector is one example of an effective target in this respect,” Supo analyst Suvi Alvari said.
Finnish authorities have urged organisations and companies responsible for critical infrastructure to raise their level of preparedness.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday pledged a strong response from the military alliance if it turns out damage to the Balticconnector pipeline was a “deliberate attack”.
Both Finland and Estonia are NATO members.
