In response to suspected sabotage of its undersea power cables, Estonia has dispatched a patrol ship to protect the Estlink1 undersea power cable. NATO has announced plans to bolster its military presence in the Baltic Sea following accusations against Russia for damaging the main power link in the Gulf of Finland.
The vessel suspected of being involved, the Eagle S, is affiliated with what the EU describes as “Russia’s shadow fleet.” Following the incident, Finnish coast guard officials boarded the oil tanker and guided it into Finnish waters.
Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur confirmed that the patrol ship, Raju, was deployed early Friday, and he anticipates Finland will collaborate in efforts to safeguard the remaining cable. He stated on Estonian public radio that the Raju’s mission is “to ensure that nothing happens there and that our critical connection with Finland remains operational.”
The Kremlin has refrained from commenting on the cable damage, labeling it a “very narrow issue” not warranting attention from the Russian presidency.
In social media remarks, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte mentioned discussions with Finland’s president, Alexander Stubb, and emphasized NATO’s commitment to increasing its presence in the Baltic region. A statement from the alliance assured that “NATO remains vigilant and is working to provide further support.”
Both Finland and Estonia are NATO member states, and Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal noted they would invoke Article 4 of the NATO Treaty if deemed necessary, which involves consultations if a member state feels threatened. “Our wish would be to receive reinforcements from NATO in the form of a fleet to act as a deterrent,” he commented, according to the BNS news agency.
Estonia’s power supply has been significantly impacted since the Estlink2 cable, stretching 170 kilometers (105 miles), was disabled. Initial assessments from Finland’s Fingrid company have projected that repairs could extend until the end of July 2025.
The damage to Estlink2 marks the third incident affecting undersea cables in the Baltic Sea within a month. This follows two severed data cables: the Arelion cable between the Swedish island of Gotland and Lithuania, and the C-Lion 1 cable damaged between Helsinki and Rostock, Germany. A Chinese vessel, the Yi Peng 3, has been implicated in dragging its anchor over these cables as part of ongoing Russian sabotage.
Additionally, another Chinese ship ruptured a gas pipeline connecting Finland and Estonia in October 2023. Both Yi Peng 3 and Eagle S are suspected of being part of the shadow fleet that Russia employs to circumvent Western sanctions related to its invasion of Ukraine.
After being anchored in the Kattegat strait for several weeks, the Yi Peng 3 was boarded by authorities from Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Finland before setting sail last week. In contrast, Finnish authorities successfully boarded the Cook Islands-registered Eagle S early Thursday, escorting it toward the Finnish coast off Porkkala, across the Gulf of Finland from Tallinn.
Estonian Prime Minister Michal sought to reassure citizens that power supplies would remain secure, citing reserves and backup plants from the main power companies, Elering and Eesti Energia. Nevertheless, he acknowledged the challenges of protecting every square meter of the seabed continuously.
Credit: BBC News
