Finland charges suspected Russian shadow fleet ship crew over cable sabotage

Finland has charged the captain and two crew members of the oil tanker Eagle S, suspected of belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” with aggravated criminal mischief and interference with communications over the December 2024 sabotage of five telecom cables in the Gulf of Finland. The defendants deny the charges, arguing the damage occurred outside Finnish waters. The case, which led to the seizure of the vessel, has heightened concerns over Moscow’s shadow fleet and follows other Baltic Sea cable disruptions that have prompted increased NATO protection of critical infrastructure, Politico has reported.