Finnish authorities have launched an investigation into a cargo vessel seized in the Gulf of Finland after discovering it was transporting Russian steel subject to European Union sanctions, as scrutiny intensifies over damage to a key telecommunications cable between Helsinki and Tallinn.
The 132-metre-long cargo ship Fitburg was detained on Wednesday by Finnish police while travelling from St Petersburg to Haifa. Officials suspect the vessel’s anchor damaged a subsea telecommunications cable in the Gulf of Finland, prompting a criminal investigation and the detention of the ship’s 14 crew members.
Finnish Customs said on Thursday that initial findings indicated the ship was carrying steel products originating in Russia. According to the agency, the cargo falls under EU sectoral sanctions imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Preliminary information indicated that the cargo consisted of steel products originating in Russia, which are subject to extensive sanctions imposed on Russia,” Finnish Customs said in a statement. An inspection of the ship’s cargo was carried out late on Wednesday.
Customs officials said expert assessments confirmed that the structural steel on board was covered by EU sanctions legislation, which prohibits the import of such goods into the bloc. The steel remains impounded while authorities determine how sanctions rules apply in this case.
Finnish Customs has opened a preliminary inquiry and said it is considering launching a formal pre-trial investigation into a possible breach of EU sanctions.
Separately, Finnish police are investigating the cable damage as aggravated criminal damage, attempted aggravated criminal damage, and aggravated interference with telecommunications. The damaged cable is owned by Finnish telecoms company Elisa and lies within Estonia’s exclusive economic zone.
The Fitburg is registered in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Its crew includes nationals from Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. Police said two crew members were placed under arrest on Thursday, while two others were subjected to travel bans. Authorities declined to provide further details about their roles on the vessel.
Damage to energy and communications infrastructure in the Baltic Sea has increased in recent years, including incidents involving undersea cables and pipelines. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, European officials and security analysts have warned that such incidents may form part of a broader pattern of hybrid threats targeting Western infrastructure.
EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said Europe remains on high alert. Writing on X, she said the EU would continue strengthening protection of critical infrastructure by investing in new cables, improving surveillance, expanding repair capacity and taking action against what she described as Moscow’s “shadow fleet”.
Finnish authorities said investigations into both the suspected cable damage and the potential sanctions violation remain ongoing.
