Finnish prosecutors have charged the captain and two senior officers of a Russia-linked oil tanker accused of damaging vital undersea cables between Finland and Estonia in what officials describe as a major act of sabotage.
The Deputy Prosecutor General said Monday that the captain and first and second officers of the Eagle S face counts of aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with communications, charges they deny. Their identities have not been released.
Investigators allege the Eagle S, part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, dragged its anchor for 90 kilometers on Dec. 25, cutting five submarine cables — including the Estlink-2 power link and other communications lines — causing an estimated €60 million ($69.7 million) in damage. The ship had departed Russia’s Ust-Luga port carrying oil products and is flagged in the Cook Islands.
While the Kremlin denies any role, European officials say such incidents fit a pattern of suspected Russian sabotage targeting critical infrastructure since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The damaged Estlink-2 supplies up to half of Estonia’s winter electricity needs. Although service continued via backups, the disruption triggered higher energy prices across the Baltics.
Defendants argue Finland lacks jurisdiction because the damage occurred outside its territorial waters.
