Finnish authorities are inspecting the oil tanker Eagle S, which is part of Russia's shadow fleet, for damage to an undersea cable in the Gulf of Finland.
Points of attention
- Finland is investigating the damage caused to the Estlink 2 submarine cable in the Gulf of Finland by the Russian shadow fleet tanker Eagle S.
- The shadow fleet, comprising old ships used to bypass international sanctions on oil exports, poses a risk to electrical security in Finland and Europe.
- The ownership and purpose of the Eagle S tanker remain unclear, complicating the investigation and raising concerns about sabotage.
- The rupture of underwater communication cables is a serious threat to infrastructure, prompting authorities in Finland and the EU to take swift action.
- The suspicion of sabotage by the Russian shadow fleet tanker Eagle S highlights the need for heightened vigilance and countermeasures against such risks.
Finland suspects Russian shadow fleet tanker of sabotage
Eagle S was stopped by Finnish authorities after the Estlink 2 submarine power cable between Finland and Estonia was disconnected on December 25.
A tanker registered in the Cook Islands and carrying oil from Russia to Egypt was seen passing over the cable during the incident.
According to the FT, this “old tanker is part of Russia’s shadow fleet and is the focus of a Finnish investigation.” It is also being investigated whether the Eagle S cut three communications cables in the Gulf of Finland.
The Shadow Fleet is a group of old and often poorly maintained ships used by Russia to circumvent international sanctions on oil exports.
The publication notes that the ownership of the Eagle S remains "nebulous," as the vessel appears to be owned by a Dubai-based company. Attempts to contact the owner were unsuccessful.
The risks posed by the vessels of the Russian shadow fleet must be countered, Finnish President Alexander Stubb wrote on the social network X after a meeting with security service leaders on December 26.
Sain katsauksen Suomenlahden kaapelirikkoon poliisiylijohtaja Ilkka Koskimäeltä, Keskusrikospoliisin päällikkö Robin Lardotilta ja Rajavartiolaitoksen apulaispäällikkö Markku Hassiselta. Viranomaisemme ovat selvittäneet tapahtumia yhteistyössä tehokkaasti.
— Alexander Stubb (@alexstubb) December 26, 2024
Seurasimme tilannetta… pic.twitter.com/jdubVRQ85Q
Breakage of the submarine cable between Finland and Estonia: what is known
On December 25, Fingrid, the company that operates the Finnish electricity grid, announced a power outage due to a fault in the Estlink 2 submarine cable connecting Finland and Estonia.
Finnish police said they are investigating whether a foreign vessel was involved in damaging an underwater power cable.
The media also wrote that, according to the company MarineTraffic, which tracks ship movements, the Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship Xin Xin Tian 2 was over the Estlink 2 cable on Wednesday at 12:26 local time, when a malfunction was detected by Elering and Fingrid.
According to Marine Traffic, the Xin Xin Tian 2 left St. Petersburg, Russia, on Tuesday and is headed to Port Said in Egypt.
On the evening of December 25, the Department of Consumer Protection and Technical Supervision (TTJA) received information about damage to three submarine communication cables between Estonia and Finland. Two of them belong to the Elisa concern, and another one to CITIC Telecom.
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