Russian-linked tanker detained after Baltic Sea cable damage disrupts Finland-Estonia connection

Finnish police have taken an oil tanker into custody after it was linked to damage done to vital undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. This is becoming another possible attack on communication links between NATO nations. The ship in question, called the Eagle S and registered in the Cook Islands, is supposedly part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet. It was seized on Wednesday after the Estlink 2 power cable linking Finland and Estonia suddenly went offline.

The 170-kilometer cable disconnected right when the ship passed over it at 10:26 GMT. Early investigations hint that the ship’s anchor might’ve done the damage, according to Finnish broadcaster Yle. In addition to knocking out the power cable, four telecom lines connecting Finland, Estonia, and even Germany were also affected.

The Eagle S is tied to Russia’s shadow fleet—a group of older ships used to dodge international restrictions on oil exports. Tracking data showed the tanker was heading from Saint Petersburg to Port Said, Egypt, when Finnish authorities detained it. The vessel is linked to a Dubai-based management company called Caravella, but no one’s been able to contact the owners yet.

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal says the damaged infrastructure might take up to seven months to fix. So far, the power outage hasn’t caused electricity problems in either country, but Estonia’s armed forces have started patrolling to protect the other main power line, Estlink 1.

This isn’t the first time something like this has happened in the Baltic Sea. Just last November, two undersea cables were cut—one between Finland and Germany and another connecting Lithuania and Sweden. Those incidents happened around the same time a Chinese-flagged ship, Yi Peng 3, was passing through after leaving Russia’s Ust-Luga port.

The U.S. has stepped in to support the ongoing investigation, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says the alliance is keeping an eye on the situation. EU foreign policy head Kaja Kallas called this “the latest in a series of suspected attacks on critical infrastructure,” raising alarms about hybrid warfare threats in the region.

Investigations are ongoing as Finnish authorities investigate whether this happened by accident or on purpose. This case stands out, though, because the Eagle S voluntarily stopped in Finnish waters, making things easier for investigators to handle jurisdiction-wise.