Three seafarers from a vessel suspected of causing damage to a subsea cable in the Baltic Sea are now facing sabotage charges in Finland.
In a significant development, Finnish prosecutors have charged the captain and two senior officers of the Cook Islands-registered oil tanker, Yantar, with sabotage. The charges stem from an incident in December 2021, when the ship is believed to have damaged five undersea cables in the Baltic Sea.
The Yantar, a vessel known for its intelligence-gathering capabilities, is part of the Russian Federation's Pacific Fleet, not the shadow fleet, as some speculate. However, the incident is seen as part of a broader pattern of sabotage linked to Moscow targeting Western infrastructure following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The charges, which include "aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with communications," allege that the ship dragged its anchor over about 90 kilometers on the seabed in the Gulf of Finland, cutting the EstLink 2 submarine power cable and four telecommunications cables connecting Finland and Estonia. The damage is estimated to have caused at least 60 million euros in repair costs and posed serious risks to Finland’s energy supply and telecommunications.
The crew members, whose exact nationalities have not been officially disclosed but reportedly include Indian and Georgian nationals, deny wrongdoing and argue that Finland has no jurisdiction since the cables were damaged outside Finnish territorial waters. The defendants are presently banned from leaving Finland pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings.
Prior to the alleged sabotage, the Yantar was escorted by Finnish vessels as it entered the country's territorial waters. After the incident was discovered, the ship was ordered to leave Finnish waters. Its destination after leaving Finnish waters is currently unknown. The ship is equipped with a unique underwater drone system, which is under investigation by Finnish authorities.
Finland and NATO have increased surveillance in the Baltic Sea region in response to the incident. The Kremlin has denied involvement in the sabotage. The charges were announced by Finnish prosecutors on a Monday. The Yantar's activities in the Baltic Sea continue to be a subject of interest and investigation.
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