Finnish authorities believe that the ship could belong to the so-called Russian ‘shadow fleet’.
The Finnish Border Guard stopped this Thursday in the Baltic Sea attached to a tanker Russia suspected of damaging EstLink2, an underwater electricity cable connecting the European country with Estonia, and four other fiber optic cables for data transmission.
The Finnish police have one research for “aggravated sabotage.” “The oil tanker Eagle S, registered in the Cook Islands, entered Finnish territorial waters and its involvement in the damage is now under investigation,” police said in a statement, saying they were escorting the ship with Border Guard helicopters. the armed forces.
Finnish authorities are investigating the damage to the cable, which extends approx 170 kilometers longof which approximately 145 kilometers are underwater. The General Director of Finnish Customs, Sami Rahskit, explained in a press conference that it is suspected that the ship belongs to the so-called “floats in the shadows” from Russia. The case is also being investigated for a serious offense involving evasion of sanctions.
The crew of the ship – currently off the coast of Porkkala, about 30 kilometers from the capital Helsinki – is still being questioned by Finnish authorities, so there are no details about their nationality.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has stated that “shadow fleets pose a major risk to other states in the Baltic Sea and the rest of the European Union. “The government is doing everything it can to solve the problem,” he added.
For his part, the Secretary General of the NATOMarc Rutte has confirmed that he has already spoken with Estonia’s Prime Minister Kristen Michal about “possible sabotage” of the submarine cables in the Baltic Sea and assured that the Alliance is following the investigations and is ready to provide support. . “NATO stands in solidarity with allies and condemns any attack on critical infrastructure. We are following the investigations of Estonia and Finland and are ready to provide further support,” Rutte said via social networks.
Source: EITB
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
