Finland Charges Russian Captain and Crew Member with Sabotaging Undersea Cables

By AFP June 15, 2026 The cargo vessel Fitburg. Finnish Border Guard Finnish authorities on Monday charged the Russian captain and a senior crew member of a cargo ship suspected of severing two undersea telecommunications cables linking Finland and Estonia on New Year's Eve. The Fitburg, a cargo vessel traveling from Russia to Israel, was boarded by Finnish authorities on December 31 after it was suspected of intentionally dropping its anchor to damage communications infrastructure in the Gulf of Finland. The ship's Russian captain and another senior crew member, a citizen of Azerbaijan, were charged with "aggravated criminal mischief" and "aggravated interference with telecommunications," Finland's National Prosecution Authority said in a statement. Investigators allege the defendants cut two telecommunications cables and attempted to destroy eight other undersea connections by dragging a damaged anchor across the seabed for at least 130 kilometers (80 miles) before Finnish authorities forced the vessel to stop. The National Prosecution Authority stated that it will decide whether to press charges against two other officers from the ship at a later date. According to prosecutors, the incident caused "significant immediate damage" and posed "a serious risk to the functioning of telecommunications, electricity and gas networks in Finland." The defendants have denied the charges. Because the disruptions occurred within Estonia's exclusive economic zone, the defense intends to argue that the Nordic nation lacks legal jurisdiction since the cables were damaged outside Finnish territorial waters. Finland's National Bureau of Investigation officially concluded its criminal probe into the maritime incident in early June. Read more about: Finland Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Former Finnish President ‘Annoyed’ Europe Not Talking to Kremlin About Ending War Sauli Niinistö said that Europe should be involved in dialogue with Moscow about ending the invasion of Ukraine. 3 Min read Finland Seizes Tanker Suspected of Damaging Baltic Sea Cable – Yle The Helsinki district court ordered the indefinite seizure of the vessel, Eagle S, citing potential liability for damage. 2 Min read NATO to Send 2 Ships to Guard Baltic Sea Infrastructure, Finland Says Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen called Russia’s “shadow fleet” a threat to critical underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. 2 Min read Finland to Place NATO Base Near Russian Border The base in southeastern Finland will serve as NATO’s new headquarters for the Northern European land command unit. 1 Min read