Finnish prosecutors have charged the captain and two senior officers of an oil tanker suspected of belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet” with sabotage over the cutting of five Baltic Sea cables last December.
The Cook Islands-registered Eagle S allegedly dragged its anchor for around 90 kilometres in the Gulf of Finland, damaging a submarine power cable and four telecommunications lines linking Finland and Estonia. Prosecutors say the incident caused at least €60 million ($70 million) in repair costs and posed a “serious risk” to the country’s energy supply and communications.
The three defendants, barred from leaving Finland, face charges of aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with communications. Authorities have not disclosed their nationalities, but many crew members were reportedly Indian and Georgian. The officers deny the charges and claim Finland lacks jurisdiction as the cables were cut outside its territorial waters. Prosecutors argue jurisdiction applies due to the scale of the threat.
The Eagle S is believed to be part of Russia’s network of ageing tankers used to circumvent oil export restrictions. The case comes amid heightened Baltic tensions following a series of suspected undersea sabotage incidents since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Trial proceedings are expected within two weeks.
