Finnish authorities detain tanker: suspected cable damage
The Finnish police reported relocating the tanker Eagle S to the port of Porvoo due to suspicions of damage to the EstLink2 cable. "The operation went according to plan," stated their communiqué.
The Finnish police announced the relocation of the tanker Eagle S to the port of Porvoo. The vessel is suspected of damaging the undersea power cable EstLink2. The operation unfolded smoothly, with the tanker being escorted by patrol boats, a tug, and a border guard helicopter.
Investigation concerning the tanker
The tanker was detained in the Gulf of Finland waters near the Porkkala Peninsula. Police believe the vessel will remain anchored in Porvoo for the investigation. The tanker was traveling from St. Petersburg to Egypt, carrying approximately 39,000 tons of gasoline from Russia.
The Finnish STT agency quotes Chief Inspector Heikki Porola, who emphasized that swift 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 place.
The reaction of Finnish authorities
The Finnish authorities responded decisively by preventing the suspicious vessel from leaving the Gulf of Finland. Mika Aaltola, former head of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, noted that increased NATO presence in the region might 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", emphasizing that the Baltic Sea is a crucial corridor for Russia's oil transport. The expert also highlighted other strategic areas, such as the Åland Islands and the Kaliningrad Oblast.
According to Jukka Kopra, head of the parliamentary defense committee, only now, following the damage to EstLink2 and the detention of the suspect vessel, will efforts to combat the "ghost fleet" begin.
