Finland Seizes Russian Oil Tanker Suspected of Cutting Underwater Cables

An undersea power cable running between Finland and Estonia was disconnected on Christmas Day. Finland is convinced that Russia is responsible. On Thursday, Finnish authorities boarded an oil tanker that was part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” used to evade sanctions and was seen passing over the Eastlink 2 underwater cable as it stopped working. According to the Financial Times.

per The GuardianThe incident happened at 12:26 local time on Wednesday, and Finland’s electricity grid operations chief Arto Pahkin immediately said sabotage could not be ruled out. Finnish authorities have also confirmed that the damage was done At least three other cablesProbably part of the same incident.

It intercepted the Eagle S, an oil tanker registered in the Cook Islands but believed to belong to Russia. The vessel’s tracking data suggests it was carrying oil from Russia to Egypt, but apparently made room for some disruption en route. Authorities believe the ship’s anchor, which was not found on board, was used to cut the cable.

Eagle SK is considered by the authorities to be part of Russia Shadow Fleetwhich the country has been using since the start of the war with Ukraine to avoid Western sanctions. The fleet consists of old, rickety ships that Russia uses to obscure its ownership using a variety of techniques, including labyrinthine management structures, frequent cargo transfers between ships, false information, detection system blackouts and other schemes. It is believed that the country works 600 ships As part of its off-the-book oil business. As many of these vessels carry oil and are poorly maintained, they often violate modern safety standards and ignore regulations, causing additional damage. oil spill.

The Christmas Day wire cutting is the latest in a series of incidents where submarine cables connecting NATO countries have been severed Last month, two fiber-optic cables—one running between Finland and Germany, the other connecting Lithuania and Sweden—crossed the Baltic Sea.was cut. They were also believed to be the work of Russia’s shadow fleet, which has made a habit of staying close to critical infrastructure in the Baltic and North Seas. According to the New York Times.

While attacks on these cables have yet to cause any real disruption, it has led to concerns about how this underwater infrastructure could be targeted in future conflicts. The report recommended China has used similar tactics in the past, using boat anchors to damage cables under the sea. This is a comparison Easy attack to executeBecause most cables are as thick as a garden hose and sit exposed on the ocean floor. Countries are seeking additional protection for these key parts of connectivity to prevent future attacks.