Helsinki (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Finland’s authorities have accused senior officials of a Russia-linked vessel that harmed undersea cables between Finland and Estonia last year with crimes connected to the wreckage.
According to Finnish authorities, on December 25, 2024, the oil tanker, the Eagle S, dragged its anchor, causing damage to the Estlink-2 power cable and communication links between Finland and Estonia. Previously, the Kremlin denied any involvement in damaging the infrastructure, which provides power and communication to thousands of Europeans.
According to investigators, the Eagle S was carrying 35,000 tons of oil and left a significant drag trail on the seabed for nearly 100 kilometres before being stopped and escorted to a Finnish port.
What charges are Eagle S officers now facing?
The European Union‘s executive commission and Finnish customs officers have characterised the Eagle S, which is flying the Cook Islands flag, as a member of Russia’s covert gasoline tanker fleet.
Officials say that these are old ships with unknown owners that were purchased to circumvent Western sanctions during the conflict in Ukraine and are not covered by insurance governed by Western regulations.
Senior officers, whose names were not disclosed, included the master, chief mate, and second mate, according to Finnish police, who released a statement on Friday. The three were in charge of the tanker’s safe passage, navigation, and operation, and are suspected of aggravated criminal damage and aggravated interference with telecommunications.
“The criminal investigation has examined and assessed, among other things, the extent of their responsibility for the condition of the vessel and the degree to which they should have observed the anchor falling into the sea,” said Detective Chief Inspector Sami Liimatainen, who is leading the case for the National Bureau of Investigation.
Are undersea infrastructures increasingly under threat in Europe?
For the West, Russia’s use of these vessels has sparked environmental worries about accidents due to their age and unclear insurance coverage. They also pose a test of resolve in the face of what are believed to be widespread sabotage attacks in Europe, allegedly linked to Moscow following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which Europe has blamed.
How does this incident echo the Nord Stream blasts?
Previously, one of the most significant and widely discussed incidents of sabotage linked to Russia by Western officials was the Nord Stream pipeline explosions that occurred on 26 September 2022. On that day, a series of underwater explosions damaged three out of four Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which are major natural gas pipelines running from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea. The explosions caused massive gas leaks and rendered the pipelines inoperable.
