Incidents involving critical infrastructure are rare but alarming.
When an undersea power cable connecting Finland and Estonia was damaged on Christmas Day, Finnish authorities acted swiftly.
Their investigation has turned up a new suspect: a tanker tied to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet.
The tanker, Eagle S, registered in the Cook Islands, was traveling from St. Petersburg to Egypt when it entered Finnish waters.
It was intercepted by the Finnish Border Guard, with support from Armed Forces helicopters.
The vessel is suspected of damaging the EstLink2 power cable, a vital piece of infrastructure spanning 170 kilometers, 145 of which are underwater, according to El Economista.
Only 30 Kilometers From Helsinki
MarineTraffic, a global ship-tracking service, noted that the Eagle S slowed significantly over the cable at the precise time of the disruption.
Finnish investigators found the tanker’s anchors unsecured, raising further suspicion.
The ship is now anchored near Porkkala, about 30 kilometers from Helsinki, as authorities question its crew. Their nationalities remain undisclosed.
Sami Rahskit, Director General of Finnish Customs, stated that the Eagle S may belong to Russia’s shadow fleet.
These vessels are often used to transport prohibited goods or evade sanctions imposed by Western nations.
The tanker was reportedly carrying gasoline loaded from a Russian port. Finnish broadcaster YLE confirmed that no other vessels are currently under suspicion.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo condemned the shadow fleet, calling it a serious threat to Baltic and European Union security. “The government is working tirelessly to resolve this matter,” he assured.
The European Union responded with a joint statement from the European Commission and Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas.
The statement denounced the intentional destruction of critical infrastructure and criticized the shadow fleet for endangering safety and funding Russia’s war efforts. The EU promised new sanctions targeting the fleet.
