NATO Ally Reveals Mass Act of Unexplained Sabotage

There were around 30 as yet unexplained sabotage attacks on telecommunications infrastructure in Sweden, mostly along the same major road, authorities in the country have revealed.

Nothing is stolen in the attacks on masts, but cables are cut and fuses and other technical equipment destroyed, Sweden’s national public broadcaster SVT Nyheter reported, citing investigators.

Newsweek has contacted the Swedish Prosecution Authority, which is leading the investigation, for comment.

Swedish investigators have not publicly identified a suspect so far. The attacks are part of a broader trend of sabotage against Swedish telecoms infrastructure, and come amid reports from NATO allies of a significant increase in Russian espionage.

Anti-5G activists have also been known to target telecoms masts for destruction in Europe, believing them to be harmful to human health.

The attacks began over Easter weekend, but have not led to major disruptions. However, it “stands out and is more than usual,” Roger Gustafsson, head of security at the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS), told SVT.

Investigators are working on the theory that a single actor is behind the attacks, which mostly targeted infrastructure along the E22 in Sweden.

The E22 is also known as the European Road, and is part of a road transport network that stretches for more than 3,300 miles, connecting the U.K. in the west to Russia in the east.

Swedish security services are monitoring the investigation, and Detective Superintendent Håkan Wessung, head of serious crime in Sweden’s Kalmar, told SVT that “we don’t rule anything out”.

This is a developing article. Updates to follow.