A Finnish oil tanker, the Eagle S, has been seized by authorities in Helsinki after they suspected it may have deliberately cut vital undersea cables. The vessel is believed to be linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” which President Vladimir Putin has used to circumvent Western-imposed sanctions on Russian oil exports.
The seizure followed an alert from Finland’s energy grid operator, Fingrid, that a power cable, Estlink 2, had been damaged on Wednesday. Police quickly teamed up with the Finnish Border Guard to investigate a ship suspected of cutting the cable: the Eagle S.
After midnight on Thursday, military helicopters lowered a special unit onto the ship, and they took over the bridge to prevent it from leaving. The vessel was later transferred to an Estonian port, where it will be held for further investigation.
Estonia’s interior minister, Lauri Läänemets, described the incident as a “naïve” attempt to downplay the situation, saying that Russia’s shadow fleet is conducting hybrid warfare against neighboring countries. He called on NATO to increase its military presence in the Baltic Sea to counter sabotage.
NATO has already pledged to enhance its military presence in the area and support the Finnish-led investigation. The European Commission has also condemned the destruction of infrastructure and proposed targeted sanctions on Russia’s shadow fleet.
The Eagle S is believed to be part of Russia’s shadow fleet, which employs tactics to avoid detection or hide its true origin. Many ships sail under the flags of other nations and sell fuel to buyers in countries not bound by the price cap. The vessel has been involved in several ship-to-ship transfers, creating an environmental risk.
The seizure is seen as a major escalation in the conflict between Russia and NATO member states. It highlights the growing insecurity in the Baltic Sea and the need for increased cooperation to counter sabotage.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/27/world/europe/finland-ship-russia-sabotage.html