EU issues threat to Russia following recent cable occurrence
Date
12/30/2024 6:43:25 AM
(MENAFN) The European Union has announced plans to impose sanctions on Russia’s so-called "shadow fleet" of tankers following the severing of an undersea power cable connecting Finland and Estonia. The cable, EstLink 2, was damaged in the Gulf of Finland on Wednesday, causing significant disruption to electricity transmission between the two countries. Finnish authorities detained a Russian oil tanker, the Eagle S, in connection with the investigation into the incident.
EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, described the severing of the cable as "deliberate destruction" of vital European infrastructure and blamed Russia for the attack. Kallas stated that the tanker involved is part of Russia’s "shadow fleet," which undermines security, harms the environment, and supports Russia’s military funding. She confirmed that the EU would take action by implementing sanctions targeting this fleet.
Although the incident did not affect electricity supplies, Estonia has increased naval patrols to protect other critical cables like EstLink 1. Estonia’s Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur emphasized the importance of maintaining secure connections with Finland, and NATO has expressed readiness to act if necessary.
The incident follows a series of similar attacks on undersea cables in the region, raising suspicions of deliberate sabotage. Previous cable breaches involved vessels, including the Yi Peng 3, which passed near the damaged cables, prompting an international investigation. Additionally, damage to the Nord Stream pipelines in 2022 remains shrouded in mystery, with various parties pointing fingers but no conclusive evidence on the culprits.
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