British News Agency

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated on Thursday that Swedish authorities had sought "clarity" from China regarding what happened last week to two fiber-optic cables between Finland and Germany and between Sweden and Lithuania.

Kristersson said at a press conference: "Today, I can tell you that we have officially requested cooperation with Swedish authorities to clarify what happened. We hope that China will choose to cooperate as requested."

This statement comes amid speculation surrounding the Chinese ship Yi Peng 3, which passed over the damaged internet cables in the Baltic Sea at the time of the incident and has been anchored in the Kattegat Strait between Sweden and Denmark since November 19, under the supervision of several ships, including Danish navy vessels.

Sweden, leading the investigation, declined to comment on the allegations, while China's foreign ministry denied any responsibility.

The Wall Street Journal reported that investigators suspect the crew of the Chinese ship deliberately damaged the cables by dragging an anchor along the seabed for over 100 miles last week.