Despite Finland and Estonia's reluctance to formally blame Russia for damaging the Balticconnector pipeline, Moscow is clearly responsible. Russia has long been upset with Finland for joining NATO and retribution was in the offing. Moscow may plead innocence but NATO will eventually prove its culpability.
While the cause of the Balticconnector leak remains unknown, it seems likely that external activity was at play. Last year Russia’s Nord Stream pipelines were blown up by bad-faith actors, clearly indicating a need to heighten security for such infrastructure. A thorough probe must determine the cause of damage and saboteurs dealt with.