Russia-linked ship may have dragged anchor for 60 miles

Finland has recently made significant moves regarding the investigation into damage caused to critical undersea cables in the Baltic Sea. On December 25, 2024, the Estlink-2 power cable, responsible for transmitting 658 megawatts of energy between Finland and Estonia, was severed. This incident, which followed earlier damage to two data cables and the Nord Stream gas pipelines, spurred Finnish authorities to investigate. The damaged Estlink-2 cable was reported to have little impact on services, yet it raised serious questions about maritime safety, especially with the geopolitical tensions in the region. During the ongoing investigation, police discovered anchor drag marks on the seabed stretching for dozens of kilometers, which were traced back to a ship named the Eagle S. This vessel is flagged in the Cook Islands but is linked to Russia’s shadow fleet. Finnish customs experts and EU officials have expressed concerns about the ship’s ambiguous ownership and its operations in defiance of Western sanctions. The investigation prompted the Finnish police chief investigator, Sami Paila, to confirm the drag marks belonged to the Eagle S and indicated that the vessel could have been responsible for the extensive underwater damage. On December 28, Finnish coastguard officials boarded the Eagle S, which had recently entered Finnish waters. The vessel has since been detained while the crew is being questioned under criminal charges including aggravated interference with telecommunications and vandalism. The Finnish government is taking this issue seriously, especially amidst heightened tensions in the Baltic Sea and within NATO following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The military alliance has signaled that it will increase patrols in response to these maritime security threats, reflecting a broader concern about potential maritime sabotage amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The geopolitical implications of this situation extend beyond just Finland. The damage to the undersea cables and previous sabotage incidents underscore the vulnerability of critical energy and communication infrastructure. There have been ongoing concerns regarding hybrid warfare tactics being employed by Russia and speculation around foreign vessels operating in the area. As investigations continue, the international community closely watches the situation, where the stability and security of the Baltic region come into focus against the backdrop of military and maritime posturing by various nations.