Finland Police seize vessel suspected of damaging undersea cables
Helsinki police have opened an investigation into potential aggravated criminal damage, attempted aggravated criminal damage and aggravated interference with telecommunications
Finnish Police have seized a vessel believed to have been involved in damaging undersea cables between Finland and Estonia.
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Authorities are investigating damage to an undersea telecommunications cable in the Gulf of Finland that occurred between the capitals of Finland and Estonia.
The damage was within Estonia's exclusive economic zone, however, the Border Guard's patrol vessel Turva and helicopter found the suspected vessel within Finland's exclusive economic zone.
Finnish authorities seized and inspected the vessel suspected to have caused the damage, the border guard said in a statement.
Sky News has named the vessel as the Fitburg which had departed from Russia and was en-route to Israel.
The Fitburg is currently being accompanied by a Finnish tug boat called the Ajax.
Finland's President Alexander Stubb said: "Finland has prepared for various security challenges and we respond to them in the manner required by the situation."
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Its anchor was lowered when it was discovered in Finland's exclusive economic zone.
Helsinki police have opened an investigation into potential aggravated criminal damage, attempted aggravated criminal damage and aggravated interference with telecommunications.
The cable belongs to telecommunications service provider Elisa and is considered to be critical underwater infrastructure.
Finnish Police said: "The police are investigating the incident in cooperation with several national and international authorities."
The Estonian Ministry of Justice has reported that faults have occurred in four undersea cables connecting Estonia and one cable connecting Hiiumaa to the mainland in recent days.
They believe that these instances were caused by stormy weather.
Minister of Justice Liisa Pakosta said that Estonia's external internet connections are duplicated, so in the event of undersea cable breakage, other cables running to Latvia can be used.
"This system ensures the resilience of our cross-border internet connection and information systems in any situation," she said.
Writing exclusively for LBC Opinion, strategist Lynette Nusbacher said the UK can no longer assume safety in the North Atlantic, arguing that Moscow is escalating its ability to disrupt internet infrastructure and threaten European states that support Ukraine.
“After years of stalemate, we don’t quake in our boots at the thought that Russia will punish us for supporting Ukraine’s independence,” she wrote. “Looking under the surface of the sea, though, there’s significant threat.”
Nusbacher said a Russian Navy vessel is currently operating off the British coast, equipped with “mini-subs and robot submarines that can find, listen to, and destroy undersea cables”.
She warned that Moscow does not even require advanced technology to cause disruption, noting that “fake merchant vessels” can sever cables using their anchors.
The UK must assume Russia will continue developing capabilities that threaten both physical and digital security, she argued, adding that President Vladimir Putin is acutely aware of his submarine fleet’s ability to launch “conventional or nuclear payloads at British, French and German bases”.