Finnish authorities have taken control of a ship believed to be responsible for damaging underwater telecommunications cables in the Baltic Sea.
This incident occurred in the Gulf of Finland, impacting the crucial cable link between Helsinki, Finland, and Tallinn, Estonia, early this morning.
The vessel was found dragging its anchor across the seabed for several hours before Finnish police intercepted it within Finland’s exclusive economic zone.
The onboard crew, consisting of 14 individuals from Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan, has been apprehended by Finnish officials, according to local reports.
The vessel, known as the Fitburg, sails under the flag of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and was en route from Russia to Israel.
Experts and political figures consider these actions part of a broader ‘hybrid warfare’ strategy by Russia, aiming to disrupt essential infrastructure in Western nations.
It has been flagged as an issue increasingly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Helsinki police have opened an investigation into ‘aggravated disruption of telecommunications’ and ‘aggravated sabotage and attempted aggravated sabotage’.
Finnish police seized the 132 metre cargo ship, Fitburg, after undersea cables were damaged this morning
Finnish National Police Commissioner Ilkka Koskimäki said the Fitburg had been dragging its anchor for hours
The damage happened in Estonia’s exclusive economic zone, police said.
The cable, owned by Finnish telecommunications company Elisa, is critical to Finland’s underwater infrastructure, providing power and communication for thousands of Europeans.
Finnish National Police Commissioner Ilkka Koskimäki told local media that investigators are not speculating on whether a state-level actor was behind the damage.
‘Finland is prepared for security challenges of various kinds, and we respond to them as necessary,’ Finnish President Alexander Stubb wrote on social platform X.
Earlier this year, a captain and and two senior officers of a Russia-linked vessel were charged after their vessel damaged undersea cables between Finland and Estonia on Christmas Day 2024.
Charges of aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with communications were filed against the captain and first and second officers of the Eagle S oil tanker, the Finnish deputy prosecutor general said in August.
Their names were not made public. The statement said they denied the allegations.
The Kremlin also previously denied allegations that they were involved in the damaging of the cables.
Top coast guard and police officials gathered to speak to press about the damage to the cable
The Fitburg, was flagged in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It had been travelling from Russia to Israel.
A similar incident happened last year when a tanker also damaged undersea cables on Christmas Day. The tanker’s captain and two first officers have now been charged
However, The Eagle S was described as being part of Russia’s shadow fleet of fuel tankers by Finnish customs officials and the European Union’s executive commission.
The tanker was flagged in the Cook Islands. The shadow fleet are ageing vessels acquired to evade Western sanctions amid the war in Ukraine and operating without Western-regulated insurance.
Estonian authorities are cooperating with the Finns to decide whether they should also start a separate criminal case or work together in a joint prosecution in the Elisa case.
The telecom provider said its service was not affected by the damage.
Another undersea cable also in the Gulf of Finland was damaged early this morning, Estonian official said.
The cable is owned by Swedish telecommunications service provider Arelion, but it is not clear whether the incidents are connected.
Martin Sjögren, an Arelion spokesperson confirmed the damage this morning and said that another cable was also damaged yesterday on Tuesday, this one between Sweden and Estonia.
‘We are actively working with authorities in Sweden and other countries to investigate the cause of the cuts,’ Sjögren said in an email. ‘We cannot disclose any details about exact times or locations at this point with regard to the ongoing investigation.’
The undersea cables are responsible for providing power and communications to thousands of Europeans
Another cable was damaged in the Gulf of Finland this morning too, between Sweden and Estonia. And another on Tuesday. It is unclear whether the incidents are connected
Repair work is expected to begin as soon as poor weather conditions clear. He said the vast majority of the company’s customers were unaffected by the damage.
Such incidents are often suspected to be part of widespread sabotage attacks in Europe allegedly linked to Moscow following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The undersea cables and pipelines that crisscross one of the busiest shipping lanes in Europe link Nordic, Baltic and central European countries.
They promote trade and energy security and, in some cases, reduce dependence on Russian energy resources.
