Suspected sabotage: Russian tanker detained in Baltic cable probe
The Finnish police reported the relocation of the tanker Eagle S to the port of Porvoo due to suspicion of damage to the EstLink2 cable. "The operation went according to plan," stated the communiqué.
The Finnish police reported the tanker Eagle S's relocation to the Porvoo port. The ship is suspected of damaging the undersea power cable EstLink2. The operation went according to plan, and patrol boats, a tug, and a border guard helicopter escorted the tanker.
Investigation concerning the tanker
The tanker was detained in the Gulf of Finland waters near the Porkkala Peninsula. Police assume that the vessel will remain anchored in Porvoo duringon. The unit was en route from St. Petersburg to Egypt, carrying approximately 39,000 tonnes of gasoline from Russia.
The Finnish STT agency quotes Chief Inspector Heikki Porola, who emphasized that quick actions prevented further damage. The ship was heading toward another cable, EstLink1, and the Balticconnector gas pipeline. At the time of detention, the ship's anchor was not in its place.
The reaction of Finnish authorities
The Finnish authorities reacted decisively, not allowing the suspicious unit to leave the Gulf of Finland. Mika Aaltola, former head of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, noted that increased NATO presence in the region may lead to a confrontation with Russia.
- Although the Baltic Sea has become a NATO inland sea, Russia will want to "assert its presence and test Western reactions," Aaltola added.
MP and cybersecurity expert Prof. Jarno Limnell warns against "Russian provocations" as the Baltic Sea is a crucial corridor for Russia's oil transport. The expert also directed attention to other regions, such as the Åland Islands or the Kaliningrad Oblast.
According to the head of the parliamentary defense committee, Jukka Kopra, only now, after the damage to EstLink2 and the detention of the suspect vessel, will the search for a way to fight the "ghost fleet" begin.
