The Finnish authorities announced on Sunday that they had released an oil tanker seized in December, following suspicions that it was involved in deliberately cutting critical undersea cables. Despite the release of the vessel, a criminal investigation into the incident remains ongoing. Last year, authorities revealed that the ship, the Eagle S, belonged to Russia’s shadow fleet, which are older tankers that covertly transport Russian crude oil around the world. This connection heightened concerns about a potential covert campaign to sabotage European infrastructure. The Finnish police stated that the criminal inquiry’s progress led to the release and escort of the aging tanker out of the country’s territorial waters. Finland’s Prime Minister, Petteri Orpo, confirmed that the criminal process and investigation would continue. The investigation, which included gathering material from an onboard forensic investigation and interviewing the crew, is expected to conclude by the end of April. The incident followed a series of similar undersea cable damage incidents in the Baltic Sea and led to increased security measures by NATO. In January, the Swedish authorities also seized a ship under suspicion of sabotage after damage to an undersea cable. The Eagle S, registered in the Cook Islands, was seized while sailing from St. Petersburg, Russia, to Port Said, Egypt. Western officials have long been concerned that Moscow’s shadow fleet could be used to circumvent sanctions related to the invasion of Ukraine and possibly for sabotage operations.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/02/world/europe/finland-tanker-sabotage-cables-baltic.html