Russian shadow fleet tanker likely caused damage to undersea power cable, Finland says
Recent damage to the Estlink 2 power cable in the Gulf of Finland was likely caused by a Russian tanker believed to be a part of Moscow's "shadow fleet," Finnish police announced in a press conference on Dec. 26.
The Estlink 2, a 170-kilometer (106-mile) undersea power cable linking Finland and Estonia, was reported to be seriously damaged on Christmas Day. Authorities are investigating the incident as a possible act of sabotage.
The anchor of the Russian vessel Eagle S appears to have caused the damage to the cable, authorities said, according to the Finnish media outlet Yle. The Eagle S was detained in Finnish territorial waters and investigators are gathering evidence and conducting interviews with the crew ahead of an expected trial.
The ship likely belongs to Russia's shadow fleet, a group of vessels employed to help the Kremlin evade sanctions, Finnish customs officials said.
Investigators are still working to determine whether the damage was accidental or deliberate sabotage.
The Estlink 2 has remained offline since the incident and repair to the cable could take months, threatening the power supply in the winter season. The Finnish and Estonian governments are holding emergency meetings to assess the situation.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said that Helsinki has not been in contact with Moscow.
"The government is doing everything it can to address the issue," Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said.
"The shadow fleet is also a major risk to other Baltic littoral states and the rest of the EU."
Orpo said Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine led to the incident.
"Shadow ships are pumping money into Russia's war chest so that Russia can continue its war against Ukraine," he said.
"These ships are constantly being listed on sanctions lists, and this has already had a major impact."
Nordic countries have been on high alert due to increasing security threats from Russia. European intelligence services warned in 2023 that Russia could be preparing to sabotage power cables, wind turbines, and gas pipes, in Nordic countries.
Finland investigated Russia's possible role in damaging an underwater gas pipeline in fall 2023. Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the notion as "complete rubbish."
Dmytro Basmat
