Finland reports damage to undersea power cable with Estonia Photo: Getty Images
The Estlink 2 power cable, which provides power between Finland and Estonia, was damaged on 25 December. The incident has caused concern in Finland, where a possible Russian trace is not ruled out. This was reported by Yle on Thursday, 26 December.
Details of the accident
- Estlink 2, with a capacity of 658 MW, was disconnected as a result of the accident.
- The alternative Estlink 1 line with a lower capacity(358 MW) continues to operate.
- The damage did not affect the power supply in Finland, said Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.
Suspicious vessel activity
Fingrid, the company responsible for the Finnish power grid, said that two vessels were in the vicinity of the damaged cable:
- Thecontainer ship Xin Xin Tian 2 flying the Hong Kong flag.
- TheEagle S tanker flying the Cook Islands flag, sailing from St Petersburg to Egypt.
- According to Aftonbladet, this tanker belongs to Russia’s shadow fleet.
- At the time of the accident, the vessel had significantly reduced its speed, which raised additional suspicions.
The investigation is ongoing
The Finnish police have opened a criminal investigation into the damage to the cable. Deliberate vandalism is being considered as one of the possible versions.
The incident occurred amid rising tensions in the region caused by Russia’s war against Ukraine and threats to critical EU infrastructure. In October 2023, the Balticconnector gas pipeline was damaged, where Russian interference was also suspected.
The investigation is ongoing, and the possible connection with the activities of Russian vessels is drawing additional attention from European partners.
