Finnish authorities are probing a potential link between a Russian vessel and the sabotage of an electricity cable that connects Finland and Estonia. The investigation commenced after officials indicated that the Eagle S, a tanker flying the Cook Islands flag, may have caused damage to the Estlink 2 cable, which became severed on Wednesday.
This tanker is believed to belong to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” comprising ships known for transporting embargoed Russian oil products.
The incident adds to a troubling pattern of underwater cable disruptions in the Baltic region over recent years.
Fingrid, the organization managing Finland’s national power grid, confirmed that while Estlink 2 remains offline, the damage does not compromise Finland’s electricity system. However, they anticipate extensive repairs over the coming months.
“We are treating this as a serious act of sabotage,” stated Robin Lardot, director of Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation.
President Alexander Stubb was briefed on the cable incident and emphasized the importance of mitigating risks associated with vessels that are part of the shadow fleet.
Finnish authorities are conducting the investigation as “aggravated criminal mischief.” The damaged Estlink 2 cable, stretching 170 kilometers (approximately 105 miles), has a transmission capacity of 650 megawatts, with a significant portion submerged underwater. The fault was identified in the submarine segment.
The European Union has indicated potential sanctions against Russia as a result of this incident, while also enhancing measures to safeguard undersea cables.
“We strongly condemn any intentional destruction of Europe’s critical infrastructure,” declared the European Commission and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas in a joint statement.
Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna expressed concern over the rising frequency of damage to vital submarine infrastructure, asserting that such incidents can no longer be dismissed as mere accidents or poor navigation.
“It is crucial to recognize that damage to submarine infrastructure has become systematic, necessitating a response to attacks on our essential systems,” Tsahkna stated.
The foreign ministry reported that the Eagle S has been escorted to a Finnish port. Tsahkna also highlighted that alongside evading sanctions, the shadow fleet poses a security risk in the Baltic Sea region, warranting proactive measures.
This recent event follows other significant disruptions, including a telecommunications cable severed between Finland and Germany last November and an internet link issue affecting Lithuania and Sweden’s Gotland Island during the same period.
Additionally, German authorities are still investigating the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions from 2022, and a separate incident in October 2023 resulted in severe damage to a natural gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia, attributed to a Chinese container ship’s anchor.
