Authorities in Finland have reportedly detained a Russian cargo vessel, the Fitburg, under suspicion of causing damage to undersea telecommunications cables in the Gulf of Finland. These cables provide critical connectivity between Finland and Estonia. The action follows observations that the ship was dragging its anchor in Finnish territorial waters, potentially leading to the disruption.
The Fitburg, which had set sail from St. Petersburg with a destination of Israel, was intercepted and seized by the Finnish Border Guard while operating under the flag of St Vincent and the Grenadines. The ship’s crew comprises 14 members drawn from Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan.
Despite requests for comment, the Helsinki Police Department and Finnish Border Guard authorities have not provided immediate responses. Initial reports confirm that the cables damaged belong to Elisa, a Finnish telecommunications provider, with Estonian authorities corroborating the occurrence of cable impairment in their waters.
Estonian President Alar Karis expressed concern on social media platform X, emphasizing the necessity for a thorough investigation to determine whether the damage was intentional. He acknowledged close cooperation between Estonian and Finnish officials to address the incident promptly.
Responses from the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications remain pending following requests for comments. Both Finland and Estonia maintain memberships in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and have positioned themselves as allies of Ukraine, which has been subject to military conflict with Russia since the latter’s invasion over three years ago.
In a related geopolitical context, former U.S. President Donald Trump indicated that a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia is closer to fruition after discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Florida. However, unresolved issues persist, notably concerning the future status of the Donbas region.
The meeting drew criticism from Russian chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov, who questioned the representation of American interests due to the involvement of figures such as former Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Trump’s former advisor Jared Kushner. Kasparov’s comments highlight ongoing debates over diplomatic approaches to the regional conflict.