Finnish authorities on Thursday detained the Eagle S, a Cook Islands-registered vessel suspected of causing significant damage to undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. The incident involved the severing of an undersea power cable linking Finland and Estonia, as well as damage to four fiber-optic internet cables.
The Eagle S was boarded by the Finnish Coast Guard, which took control of the vessel and escorted it into Finnish waters. Finnish National Bureau of Investigation Director Robin Lardot stated at a press conference, “We are investigating grave sabotage. Evidence suggests the damage was caused by the anchor of the vessel under investigation.”
Allegations of Sabotage and Sanctions Evasion
Finnish customs officials confirmed the seizure of the ship’s cargo, believed to be part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” an aging group of tankers allegedly used to circumvent Western sanctions on Russian oil.
The damaged infrastructure includes two fiber-optic cables owned by Finnish telecom operator Elisa and a third cable operated by China’s Citic, linking Finland and Estonia. A fourth cable between Finland and Germany, managed by Finnish group Cinia, was also reportedly severed. The 170-km (106-mile) Estlink 2 electricity interconnector will require months of repairs, raising concerns about power supply during the winter, according to Finnish grid operator Fingrid.
The Eagle S was identified crossing the Estlink 2 power cable at 10:26 GMT on Wednesday, coinciding with the timing of the reported outage. Data from MarineTraffic, a ship tracking service, linked the vessel to United Arab Emirates-based Caravella LLCFZ, which has not responded to inquiries. Technical manager Peninsular Maritime also declined to comment.
International Reactions and Security Concerns
The U.S. National Security Council and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed support for the Finnish investigation, emphasizing the need for international cooperation to protect critical undersea infrastructure. The European Union strongly condemned the apparent sabotage, with a joint statement from EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and the European Commission commending Finland’s swift action.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated that the frequency of such incidents in the Baltic Sea points to deliberate acts, adding, “We must recognize these as systematic attacks against vital infrastructure.” Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys urged NATO and the EU to enhance security measures for undersea installations in the region.
Broader Pattern of Infrastructure Attacks
The Baltic Sea has seen a series of infrastructure disruptions in recent years. Finnish and Estonian authorities are still investigating last year’s damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline and telecom cables, suspected to have been caused by a ship dragging its anchor. Similarly, Sweden is probing the sabotage of two telecom cables last month.
In 2022, explosions destroyed the Russia-to-Germany Nord Stream gas pipelines, an act widely regarded as sabotage. Germany continues to investigate that incident.
The heightened frequency of such incidents has prompted 12 Western nations to agree on measures to counter Russia’s shadow fleet, aiming to increase the costs of sanctions evasion and deter future threats. Finnish President Alexander Stubb emphasized the need to address these risks, stating on social media, “We must be able to prevent threats posed by vessels belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet.”
As investigations continue, Baltic Sea nations remain on high alert for further disruptions, with heightened focus on protecting critical infrastructure amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions.
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