Russia has condemned the Western alliance for ramping up its naval presence in the so-called 'NATO lake' after alleged sabotage by Moscow-linked vessels.

The governments of Latvia and Sweden say they have confirmed damage to an underwater fiber optic cable laid in the Baltic Sea between the two countries.

The mission, dubbed Baltic Sentry, follows worry over increased Russian military activity near key undersea communication cables.

Another undersea data cable, this time connecting Sweden and Latvia, has been severed in the Baltic Sea, officials from both countries said Sunday, and prompted Latvia to dispatch a warship near to

The operation follows a string of incidents that have heightened fears of Russian sabotage and spying in the strategic region.

A senior Russian official has said that Moscow will counter any moves by Western military alliance NATO to dominate the Baltic Sea. Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told the Russian television channel Rossiya-24 on Friday that the Western alliance's decision to increase patrols around the Baltic was further proof of NATO's "desire to turn the Baltic Sea into a NATO lake.

Intelligence officials in the U.S. and Europe have suggested that recent incidents damaging critical cables in the Baltic Sea were accidental, according to a Washington Post report. Western geostrategic self-deception has overly emphasized fears of escalation and cornering Russia.

Undersea cable between Sweden and Latvia damaged, as attention focuses on Malta-flagged vessel that sailed from Russia.

An undersea fiber optic cable between Latvia and Sweden was damaged on Sunday, likely as a result of external influence, Latvia said, triggering an investigation by local and NATO maritime forces in the Baltic Sea.

Swedish prosecutors announced Sunday night that they have opened a preliminary investigation into suspected aggravated “sabotage” and ordered the detention of a vessel in the Baltic Sea suspected of damaging an underwater fiber optic cable connecting Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland earlier that day.

STOCKHOLM, January 27. /TASS/. Sweden has launched an investigation into alleged sabotage after a communication cable between Sweden and Latvia was damaged in the Baltic Sea and detained a ship suspected of the alleged crime, the Prosecution Authority said.