Russian tanker seized over suspected sabotage in Baltic Sea
Finnish special forces have seized the Russian tanker Eagle S, suspected of damaging the Estlink-2 power cable connecting Finland to Estonia. Finnish authorities have not ruled out deliberate action and do not plan to inform Russia.
Finnish police and border guards boarded the Eagle S tanker on Thursday just after midnight, taking control of the ship's bridge. According to Jari Liukku, the head of police in Helsinki, who spoke at a press conference, the ship was intercepted in the Finnish exclusive economic zone and brought into territorial waters.
The Eagle S, registered in the Cook Islands, is suspected of being part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet". As reported by the "Daily Mail," Finnish customs authorities state that this fleet comprises old tankers of unclear ownership used to circumvent sanctions by transporting Russian energy resources.
The anchor of the Eagle S tanker is suspected of causing damage to the Estlink-2 cable, which transmits electricity between Finland and Estonia across the Baltic Sea. The malfunction occurred on 25 December just after midday.
A representative of the Finnish grid operator Fingrid, Arto Pahkin, does not rule out deliberate action.
This is one of the possibilities we are considering. Since there were two ships in the area where the cables are located, sabotage cannot be ruled out - stated Pahkin.
The Director General of the Finnish police, Ilkka Koskimaki, when asked whether he had contacted Russian authorities regarding the incident, replied briefly: "No." When asked if he intended to do so, he responded: "We will not."
In response to the incident, the Estonian armed forces have launched a marine operation aimed at protecting the undersea Estlink-1 power cable. Estonia's Foreign Minister, Margus Tsahkna, stated: "If there is a threat to critical underwater infrastructure in our region, there will also be a response."
Finland detains Russian tanker. Tensions rise in the region
This is another recent instance of disruption to key infrastructure in the region. In November, two data cables were damaged: one between Finland and Germany, the other between Lithuania and Sweden.
German Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, said at the time that "sabotage" should be assumed, although no evidence or potential perpetrators were indicated.
In September 2022, the Nord Stream undersea gas pipelines, connecting Russia to Germany, were destroyed by underwater explosions. The responsible party for this incident has yet to be determined.
