SEVEN DETAINED BUT NOT ARRESTED: FINNISH AUTHORITIES PROBE RUSSIAN SHIP LINKED TO UNDERSEA CABLE INCIPIENTS
In a dramatic turn of events, Finnish authorities have detained, but not arrested, seven members of the crew of the suspected Russian spy ship Eagle S. The ship was seized following an incident involving multiple undersea cable cuts in the Baltic Sea. This development was reported on Tuesday by Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The names and nationalities of those detained have not yet been revealed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). However, a high-ranking official confirmed that the individuals have had their travel banned to allow for further interrogation. The number of detainees may change as the investigation progresses.
The Eagle S incident follows the discovery of suspicious traces on the seafloor of the Baltic Sea by Finnish police, which could be linked to the missing anchor of the detained Russia-linked oil tanker. Investigators are yet to find the missing anchor. These incidents may have contributed to the recent disruptions of undersea cables in the Baltic Sea.
Photos of the Eagle S taken last Friday showed the ship was missing its left-side anchor. It had been earlier speculated that the vessel might also have been carrying espionage equipment.
In an unexpected twist, a Helsinki court received a petition to lift the arrest of the Eagle S tanker. The company’s lawyer accused the Finnish authorities of brutality towards the crew members and denied any connection to espionage activities. He claimed that the ship had approximately 20 Indian and Georgian crew members on board.
Germany’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, called for strengthened sanctions against Russia. She dismissed claims of accidental incidents and emphasized the presence of Russia’s "shadow fleet."
In response to these developments, NATO has announced its intention to beef up its presence in the region. Baltic countries are on high alert for potential sabotage acts, following a series of disrupted undersea cables, telecommunications links, and gas pipelines since 2022. Although, technical faults and malfunctions can also contribute to such events.
Meanwhile, Swedish police are investigating the severing of two telecommunications cables in the Baltic Sea last month, which German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius suspects to be sabotage. Additionally, Finnish police continue to probe damages caused to the Balticconnector gas pipeline and several telecom cables.
Last year, the Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Germany, which lie underwater in the same sea, were blown up—an event that is still being investigated by Germany. The Kremlin dismissed concerns over the Finnish ship’s confiscation and maintained Russia’s innocence regarding previous damages to Baltic Sea infrastructure.
