Finland seizes a tanker, getting tough on hybrid warfare
Russian-linked attacks on undersea infrastructure are rising
Finland’s seizure on December 25th of the Eagle S, a Russian-linked sanctions-busting “dark fleet” tanker, could mark a turning-point in Europe’s response to the Kremlin’s hybrid-warfare campaign. The ship had been dragging its anchor along the seabed, trying to damage the 170km (106-mile) Estlink 2 power cable, which links Finland and Estonia. The shutdown of the cable led to a sudden drop in electricity supply to Estonia. Suspecting sabotage, the Finns sent coastguards to board the 20-year-old vessel, registered in the Cook Islands, and sail it to Finnish waters for investigation.
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