In a chilling development on the Baltic Sea, Finnish investigators have discovered a nearly 100-kilometer seabed trail around the site of an underwater electricity cable that was mysteriously damaged on Christmas Day. Authorities suspect the incident to be a deliberate act of sabotage, likely perpetrated by Russia, marking an escalation in the shadowy campaign targeting critical infrastructure in the region.
The Suspicious Ship
The vessel under scrutiny is the Eagle S, sailing under the flag of the Cook Islands. However, Finnish officials believe the ship is part of Russia’s notorious “shadow fleet“, used to transport embargoed Russian oil products following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. According to police chief investigator Sami Paila:
Our current understanding is that the drag mark in question is that of the anchor of the Eagle S. We have been able to clarify this matter through underwater research.
Sami Paila, Finnish police chief investigator
The Eagle S crew, consisting of Georgian and Indian nationals, claim the anchor drag was accidental. However, Estonian officials are skeptical, arguing it’s highly unlikely the ship would not have noticed going off course for such an extended distance. The vessel managed to cut two communication lines before Finnish authorities intervened, but thankfully the main Estlink 1 cable connecting Finland and Estonia was spared.
Costly Consequences
The damaged Estlink 2 cable will take months to repair, potentially leading to higher electricity prices in Estonia over the winter months. It’s a significant blow, as the country prepares to decouple its power grid from the old Soviet network and synchronize with central Europe in the coming spring.
Estonian officials estimate that a similar cable outage last year led to a 10% increase in electricity costs, amounting to €90 million in additional expenses for consumers. The country has now launched a naval and special forces operation to safeguard the remaining critical power links in the Baltic Sea.
Nato Response
The incident comes amidst a series of suspicious events involving vital underwater cables in the region. Last month, two fiber-optic lines were severed between Sweden and Denmark, allegedly by a Chinese vessel. In response to these growing threats, Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte announced the alliance would bolster its military presence in the Baltic Sea to deter further acts of sabotage.
As geopolitical tensions continue to simmer, the battle for control over critical infrastructure has spilled into the murky depths of the Baltic. While definitive proof may be elusive, the pattern of disruptions paints an alarming picture of a new front in the ongoing shadow war between Russia and the West. As nations fortify their defenses both on land and at sea, the question remains: how far will this dangerous game escalate?
