Finland charges top officers of Russia-linked vessel that damaged undersea cables
HELSINKI — Finnish authorities announced on Monday that the captain and two senior officers of a Russia-linked vessel have been charged for damaging undersea cables connecting Finland and Estonia last year.
The Finnish deputy prosecutor general stated that charges of aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with communications have been brought against the captain and first and second officers of the Eagle S oil tanker. The individuals, whose identities have not been disclosed, have denied the accusations.
The incident, which occurred on December 25, involved the vessel dragging its anchor and causing damage to the Estlink-2 power cable and communication links between Finland and Estonia. The Kremlin has previously denied any involvement in the sabotage.
The Eagle S, flagged in the Cook Islands, is part of Russia’s shadow fleet of fuel tankers, which are used to evade Western sanctions. These vessels operate without Western-regulated insurance and have been linked to incidents of sabotage in Europe.
The damage caused by the Eagle S cutting submarine cables in the Gulf of Finland has resulted in repair costs of at least 60 million euros. The disruption of these cables posed a serious risk to energy supply and telecommunications in Finland.
Despite the damage to the Estlink 2 cable, which provides a significant portion of Estonia’s electricity needs, service was not interrupted. The incident did, however, lead to increased energy prices in the Baltic region.
