Swedish Navy Retrieves Anchor of Tanker Linked to Baltic Sea Cable Disruption

The Swedish Navy announced the successful recovery of an anchor from an oil tanker believed to be affiliated with Russia's 'shadow fleet,' which is suspected of damaging multiple underwater telecommunications cables and a power cable in the Baltic Sea on December 25. The recovery operation was part of an ongoing investigation into the incident.

In a collaborative effort, Sweden dispatched a submarine rescue vessel to assist Finnish authorities, resulting in the HMS Belos locating and retrieving the anchor, which has now been handed over to Finnish officials for further examination. The vessel involved, identified as the Eagle S and registered under the Cook Islands flag, is implicated in the damage to the EstLink 2 electricity cable connecting Finland and Estonia, which has rendered it inoperative since the incident.

Reports from Finnish police indicate that they discovered a trail along the seabed extending for several kilometers, originating from the anchor. In response to the situation, the national energy agency Fingrid has urged authorities to take action against the tanker.

As part of ongoing investigations, Finnish authorities have prohibited eight crew members from departing Finnish territory. Customs officials suspect that the tanker, currently situated east of Helsinki, is part of a fleet of vessels transporting Russian crude oil and petroleum products that are subject to international embargoes due to the ongoing conflict involving Russia and Ukraine.

In the aftermath of the incident, Finnish telecom operator Elisa reported on Monday that repairs were underway for two of the damaged telecommunications cables, while the EstLink 2 power cable remains unrepaired. According to the operator Cinia, repairs for another telecommunications cable connecting Finland and Germany are expected to be completed by January 10.

These events have prompted NATO to announce enhancements to its military presence in the Baltic region, a response to a series of similar incidents that have occurred since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Experts and political analysts have characterized these attacks as part of Russia's hybrid warfare strategy against Western nations, focusing particularly on energy and communication infrastructures.

The Baltic Sea, which is bordered by several NATO member states, has witnessed other notable incidents, including the cutting of two telecommunications cables in Swedish territorial waters on November 17 and 18, where a Chinese-flagged bulk carrier, the Yi Peng 3, is also under suspicion of involvement.