An undersea data cable connecting Finland and Germany was cut in the early hours of Monday by what was likely an external impact and a nearby link between Lithuania and Sweden was also damaged.

Two undersea fibre-optic communications cables in the Baltic Sea, including one linking Finland and Germany, were severed, raising suspicions of sabotage by bad actors, countries and companies involved said on Monday.

Germany and Finland say they are "deeply concerned" after an undersea cable linking the countries was severed.The rupture of the 1,170km (730-mile) telecommunications cable - which is being investigated - comes at a time of heightened tension with Russia.