European Union: Ship Suspected of Damaging Finland's Cables Belongs to Russian Fleet

The European Commission announced that a cargo ship suspected of deliberately damaging power and internet cables in the Baltic Sea is part of the so-called 'shadow' fleet of Russia, prompting the European Union to consider new sanctions against Moscow. In a statement released on Thursday, January 6, it said: 'We condemn any deliberate act of destruction against key infrastructure in Europe.' The statement further noted: 'The suspected vessel is part of Russia's shadow fleet, which poses a threat to security and the environment while also funding Russia's war efforts. We will take further actions against this fleet, including imposing sanctions.' This statement was issued following the sabotage of two fiber optic cables belonging to the Finnish company Elisa, which connected Finland and Estonia. According to European officials, a third line connecting the two countries, owned by a Chinese company, was also damaged. Investigators believe that the damage was likely caused by the deliberate action of this cargo ship dragging its anchor. Alexander Stubb, the President of Finland, also stated that this cargo ship is linked to Russia and that Helsinki is closely monitoring the situation. He wrote on social media platform X: 'It is necessary to prevent the dangers posed by the ships of Russia's shadow fleet.' Just ten days prior, EU foreign ministers had approved new sanctions against Russian oil tankers to prevent funding for Russia's war in Ukraine.