Finland is on high alert as it investigates a new undersea gas pipeline leak, which it has described as a "deliberate” outside attack, as well as maybe an act of sabotage.

The possibility of an attack is of special concern in light of the still-unresolved explosions of the Nord Stream pipelines connecting Europe and Russia.

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Authorities were first alerted Sunday morning to the damage to the Balticconnector, the 80-mile undersea gas pipeline that runs between Finland and Estonia. An adjacent undersea communication cable that links the two countries was also cut at the same time.

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said Tuesday that his country and Estonia began their joint investigation into the damage Sunday and are taking the matter “very seriously.”

He also spoke Tuesday to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who told him that NATO is “sharing information” with both Finland and Estonia and “stands ready to support allies concerned.”

Finland is the newest member of the NATO alliance.

The country announced in May 2022 that it would seek membership in the military alliance in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — prompting Russia, with whom it shares an 808-mile border, to cut off all piped gas exports to Finland one week later.

Estonia has been a member of NATO since 2004.

While the incident is still in the very early stages of investigation, it does bear certain similarities to the attack on the twin Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, which were hit by a series of four explosions last September.

Though investigations into those blasts remain open, NATO members have since stepped up their monitoring efforts of energy infrastructure in the region, seeking to prevent another similar attack.

These efforts include the use of satellites, aircraft, ships, and submarines, according to Bloomberg, which cited sites in the North and Baltic seas as among the most sensitive.

Henri Vanhanen, a researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, told the Financial Times that the Finnish government’s willingness to suspect sabotage suggests a “strong reason to assume hostile intent.”

“This is a test to the alliance: How will it react if indeed evidence of, for example, Russian interference is detected?” he added.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo told reporters Tuesday that the damage is believed to be caused by an “external source,” though he declined to comment further.

“It makes sense to increase our security of supply, secure critical infrastructure,” Orpo told reporters at a Tuesday press conference. “The wise prepares. If something like this, so far inexplicable, happens, then it can also happen again.”

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“If Russia is the culprit, the big question is, why would it need to cut off gas and telecommunication connections in Finland?" he added. "Is there a wider plan?”

News of the damage sent European gas prices climbing this week by as much as 12.5%.