As a result, Finland has now detained the ship Eagle-S and her crew. This new move comes on the heels of the vessel’s recent collision with undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. Authorities confiscated the ship after noticing irregularities in telecommunications services, especially those under surveillance by Elisa, a Finnish telecommunications company. In Finland last year, several undersea cables between Helsinki and Tallinn were allegedly cut or damaged. On further inspection, we learned that these cables were damaged.
Finnish elite special forces Police and Coast Guard units carried out the fantastic rescue operation. They deployed from helicopters and intercepted the Eagle-S, a cargo ship registered to the Cook Islands. This ship is known to be connected to Russia’s new shadow fleet of illicit ship-to-ship fuel transfers. Further investigation showed that the chain dropped into Finnish waters. This further fueled concerns about its role in the incident. Notably, Finland’s National Police Commissioner, Ilkka Koskimäki, confirmed that charges have been filed against members of the ship’s crew.
The incident takes place amid increased U.S.-China military tensions in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea. Unsurprisingly, Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement in this sort of undersea sabotage. Already, according to evidence collected by others, some vessels associated with the Russian maritime fleet have been involved in just such incidents. Since the start of 2023, at least 10 undersea cables have been cut or damaged in the Baltic Sea alone. This is deeply troubling given the critical role these communication links play in security.
As previously reported, the distinctive damage site was quickly identified as being in Estonia’s territorial waters. Estonia’s Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs has assured that the country’s connections remain operational through alternative sea and land cables. This claim is meant to assuage fears about widespread communication disruptions while federal investigation continues.
Finland’s President, Alexander Stubb, stated that the government is closely monitoring the situation and is taking necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of its maritime infrastructure. Further details regarding the Eagle-S and its operations are under investigation. It might help shed further light on the nature of the threats to these undersea lines of communication.
