‘Shadow fleet’: Nato, EU respond to Baltic power cable incident
The Eagle S vessel, which flies under the flag of the Cook Islands in the South Pacific, was en route to Port Said in Egypt. Police suspect that the oil tanker’s anchor might have damaged the power cable.
Rutte said he spoke to President Stubb about Finland’s probe, adding in a post on X: “I expressed my full solidarity and support. Nato will enhance its military presence in the Baltic Sea.”
Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur earlier on Friday said on X that the country began naval patrols to protect the undersea cable supplying electricity from Finland.
In a separate statement, he said Tallinn wanted to send a clear message it was ready to protect its power connections with Finland with military and non-military means.
Rutte on Thursday promised Nato support to Estonia and Finland, and condemned attacks on critical infrastructure after speaking to Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal.
More EU sanctions
The European Union has also threatened further sanctions against Russia’s shadow fleet after this week’s incident.
The bloc’s 27 member states agreed earlier this month to blacklist around 50 more oil tankers from Russia’s shadow fleet used to circumvent Western sanctions, taking the number targeted to around 80.
Ukraine’s international backers have looked to curb funds going to the Kremlin’s war machine by imposing a price cap and restrictions on Russia’s key oil exports.
To skirt the measures, Russia has resorted to using a so-called “shadow fleet” of often ageing vessels that operate under dubious ownership or without proper insurance.
Tensions have mounted around the Baltic since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In September 2022, a series of underwater blasts ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines that carried Russian gas to Europe, the cause of which has yet to be determined.
In October 2023, an undersea gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia was shut down after it was damaged by the anchor of a Chinese cargo ship.
On November 17 and 18 this year, sections of two telecom cables were cut in Swedish territorial waters. Suspicions have been directed at the Yi Peng 3, which according to ship tracking sites had sailed over the cables around the time they were cut.
