Finnish detain Russian-linked tanker after cable damage
- The Finnish authorities deserve recognition for their swift action. For the first time, a suspect was detained, and we have taken steps in the investigation, - stated Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal after an extraordinary government meeting in Tallinn concerning the damage to the EstLink 2 submarine power cable.
On Thursday evening, the head of the Estonian government appealed for increased assistance from allies in protecting critical infrastructure and promised to contact the NATO Secretary General about the matter.
The tanker Eagle S, sailing under the Cook Islands flag, was detained by the Finnish border guard in the Gulf of Finland. At the time of the power transmission interruption through the EstLink 2 line, the ship was near the cable. The vessel transported Russian petrol from St. Petersburg to Egypt. Prime Minister Michal noted that the tanker plays a significant role in the Russian "shadow fleet" and "helps Russia finance its hybrid attacks."
- We must intensify our bilateral relations and cooperation within the NB8, EU, and NATO frameworks to ensure the safety of our critical infrastructure - added Michal.
Ready to use force
"Helsingin Sanomat" revealed, citing sources in the services, that the authorities, deciding to board the detained ship, were prepared to use force. On the night from Wednesday to Thursday, a military helicopter and armed rapid response units of the police and coast guard were dispatched from Helsinki towards the Gulf of Finland in the direction of Eagle S.
The prosecutor Jukka Rappe, quoted by the newspaper, admitted that initially there was consideration on whether the incident involving the cable damage should be investigated as an "act of terrorism".
Ultimately, as reported on Thursday by the Central Criminal Police (KRP), the case was classified as a "serious act of destruction," which in this specific instance would involve damaging or destroying property in a way that poses a serious threat to energy supplies. Preliminary findings indicate that the cable damage was caused by the ship's anchor.
Response from Finland and Latvia
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo stressed at a conference in Helsinki that one cannot passively observe the situation. "We cannot stand by and watch, and we will not," he said. He added that, given recent events, similar incidents might occur again.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs expressed solidarity with Estonia and Finland, appealing to protect critical infrastructure to become one of NATO's key tasks in the Baltic Sea. - Damage to submarine cables between Finland and Estonia is likely not a coincidence, to put it mildly - stated Rinkēvičs.
