Finnish authorities apprehended a Russian oil tanker following damage to a Baltic Sea power cable.
The European Union intends to sanction Russia’s “shadow fleet” of tankers in response to the severed undersea power cable linking Finland and Estonia, according to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
The Russian oil tanker, Eagle S, was detained by Finnish authorities as part of an investigation into the damage to the EstLink 2 power cable on Thursday. This cable, which transmits electricity to Estonia across the Baltic Sea, was cut in the Gulf of Finland on Wednesday.
In a joint EU Commission statement, Kallas described the cable severance as the “deliberate destruction of Europe’s critical infrastructure,” attributing blame to Russia.
The EU foreign policy chief asserted that the “suspected vessel is part of Russia’s shadow fleet, which threatens security and the environment, while funding Russia’s war budget.”
While collaborating with Finnish authorities on the investigation, Kallas promised further restrictions, “including sanctions, to target this fleet.”
The EU is also bolstering efforts to protect undersea cables; Kallas stated that the incident poses no risk to electricity supplies.
Following the suspected sabotage of EstLink 2, Estonia has deployed naval patrols to protect the EstLink 1 undersea power cable. These cables are essential for delivering electricity from Finland to Estonia.
“We must ensure that nothing else happens and that the critical connection with Finland remains operational,” Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur stated on Friday.
He also noted that Finland is expected to participate in these protective measures, with NATO prepared for military intervention if needed.
This incident is the latest in a series of cable disruptions in the region, prompting accusations of deliberate attacks on critical infrastructure between NATO states.
Two data cables connecting Finland and Germany, and another between Lithuania and Sweden, were severed in November. Initial suspicion regarding the other two incidents centered on a Chinese ship, the Yi Peng 3, which was in the vicinity of the cables at the time.
The ship, stopped in international waters, was boarded last week by Swedish, German, Finnish and Danish observers as part of a Chinese-led investigation.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated last month that Berlin considered the incident “sabotage,” although he offered no evidence or details about perpetrators.
The cables are located near the Nord Stream pipelines, which were deliberately damaged in September 2022. While responsibility remains unclaimed, Western media have reported links to Ukraine.
In October 2024, Moscow alleged possession of evidence implicating the US and UK in the Nord Stream sabotage. London, Washington, and Kyiv have denied involvement.