# Finland to Sever Last Direct Fiber Optic Link to Russia **Fingrid**, Finland's state-owned grid operator, announced on Friday its decision to take a key telecommunications connection to Russia out of service. The disconnection is slated to occur when the current lease agreement expires, reportedly by the end of the year. "The two telecommunications connections were part of the cross-border electricity transmission connection between Finland and Russia," a **Fingrid** spokesperson stated. "This electricity transmission connection ceased operating in 2022, and the physical infrastructure has since been dismantled." ## Limited Impact on Connectivity Expected While the exact volume of internet traffic affected by this decision remains undisclosed, **Fingrid** believes the impact on overall telecommunications connectivity between the two countries will be minimal. "To our knowledge, the impact of this decision on telecommunications connectivity between the two countries is very limited," the spokesperson added. Finnish newspaper **Helsingin Sanomat** reported that only one fiber-optic cable is directly impacted. However, earlier reports from Russian business daily **Kommersant** suggested that multiple cables could be disconnected. ## Russian Operators Seek Alternative Routes **Kommersant**, citing anonymous telecommunications industry sources, indicated that **Fingrid** had alerted Russian telecommunications operators of its intent to cease maintaining power transmission towers that carry fiber-optic communications infrastructure. These operators are reportedly in negotiations to establish alternative routes with Finnish telecommunications companies. **Rosseti**, Russia's state-owned grid operator, informed **Kommersant** that its section of the cross-border transmission line has been operating under restricted conditions since 2022, with no electricity transmission. **Rosseti** plans to repurpose this infrastructure for domestic electricity sector needs and stated it had received no information regarding the status of the Finnish section of the line. ## Redundancy Concerns for Northwestern Russia The move could potentially reduce redundancy for international internet traffic serving northwestern Russia. However, industry sources quoted by **Kommersant** anticipate a limited overall impact on internet connectivity. Traffic can be rerouted through other international links, including routes via Belarus, the Baltic states, and existing submarine cables in the Baltic Sea. Prior to the suspension of electricity trade, **Fingrid** operated three 400-kilovolt and two 110-kilovolt transmission lines linking Finland and Russia. In 2021, these lines facilitated 9.1 terawatt-hours of electricity imports into Finland, according to **Kommersant**. ## Deteriorating Geopolitical Landscape Relations between Finland and Russia have significantly worsened since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Finland's subsequent decision to join **NATO**. Finnish authorities have repeatedly issued warnings about Russian influence operations and potential sabotage targeting critical infrastructure, including telecommunications networks and undersea cables. The Finnish Security and Intelligence Service (**SUPO**) declared in 2023 that the Kremlin now considers Finland a hostile nation.