Finland Detains Russia-linked Oil Tanker Suspected of Cutting Undersea Cable

The Finnish Border Guard has intercepted and detained the oil tanker Eagle S, suspected of damaging the Estlink 2 submarine power cable that connects Finland and Estonia.

The tanker, currently under police control in Finnish waters, is believed to have severed the power line and multiple communication cables in the Gulf of Finland.

The Cook Islands-registered vessel, reportedly part of Russia's shadow fleet, was carrying oil from Russia to Egypt when the incident occurred. Finnish authorities suspect the ship deliberately disrupted the cables, as its movements near the area were recorded by the Marinetraffic monitoring service. The Eagle S reportedly slowed significantly while passing over the cable.

The police stated that they were investigating the vessel's possible involvement in the suspected sabotage of undersea infrastructure, including the severing of the Estlink 2 submarine cable on Wednesday. The cable facilitates electricity transmission between Finland and Estonia. On Thursday, Finnish authorities confirmed that four additional data cables had also been damaged. The police described the latest cable disruptions as "aggravated vandalism."

An anchor torn from the vessel, believed to have caused the damage, was identified during investigations. "There is reason to suspect that this vessel damaged the Estlink power cable with its anchor. We also suspect that other cables were damaged," said Finnish Police Director General Ilkka Koskimäki.

The Eagle S is linked to Russia's shadow fleet, a group of aging vessels often used to circumvent international sanctions on Russian oil exports. The caps were introduced after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. To bypass restrictions, the Kremlin invested billions in a fleet of unmarked tankers, often flying flags of nations like Gabon, to sell oil to countries like India and China, which are not bound by the cap. Nearly 70% of Russia’s oil is now transported by these "shadow tankers," according to an October analysis by the Kyiv School of Economics Institute. Using such tankers to sabotage European infrastructure, however, would mark an unusual escalation.

Similar incidents have been reported in the Baltic Sea, including the Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng 3, which was seen near a damaged undersea communication cable connecting Finland, Germany, Sweden, and Lithuania.

Investigations suggest potential Russian involvement in orchestrating these incidents. Reports from the Wall Street Journal indicated that Russian intelligence may have directed the actions of these vessels. In the case of Yi Peng 3, the vessel's captain, Alexander Stechentsev, reportedly acted under orders to damage the cables. A Russian corvette, Mercury, allegedly provided reconnaissance support during the operation.