The authorities said they believed the vessel may have been involved in damaging the cable, the latest act of apparent sabotage in the Baltic Sea.

The Norwegian vessel Silver Dania with a crew consisting entirely of Russian citizens was detained by the Norwegian Coast Guard at the request of Latvia on suspicion of cable damage in the Baltic Sea.

The Swedish coast guard seized a Bulgarian ship, the Malta-flagged Vezhen, off Sweden’s southeastern coast on January 26. It is suspected of damaging the cable in question. Swedish prosecutors opened an investigation into “aggravated sabotage”

Police in Norway said Friday they had released a Russian-crewed cargo ship seized over suspected involvement in damage to a fibre-optic cable in the Baltic Sea, having found no evidence linking it to the incident.

The Russian crew and Norway-owned shipping company are cooperating with the authorities, police say, days after Sweden detained another vessel.

Following damage to a fiber optic cable between Latvia and Sweden, Norwegian authorities have searched a freighter. The shipping company is cooperating.

Tromso police say they seized and then released a vessel sailing between two Russian ports. Swedish and Latvian investigators are looking into the severing of an underwater cable under the Baltic Sea.

TradeWinds already reported about the 5,353-dwt fish carrier Silver Daniel (built 1989) being held in the Norwegian port. Norway acted upon a request by Latvian authorities, which had suspected the Silver Daniel of involvement in the sabotage last week of a fibre-optic cable linking Latvia with Sweden.

U.S President Donald Trump on January 31 said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin could soon talk and announce something significant toward ending the conflict in Ukraine.

Russia and China have stepped up military activity in the Arctic. NATO states in the region are reporting more acts of sabotage.

Police in the Norwegian port of Tromso say they have seized a vessel sailing between two Russian ports. Swedish and Latvian investigators are looking into the severing of an underwater cable under the Baltic Sea.