EU says closely following Helsinki-Tallinn submarine cable disruption

By Melike Pala

BRUSSELS (AA) - The European Union is closely monitoring the disruption of a submarine data cable between Helsinki and Tallinn, EU Council President Antonio Costa said on Thursday, highlighting the importance of protecting critical infrastructure in close cooperation with Baltic and other partners.

Finnish authorities have seized a vessel suspected of causing the damage in the Gulf of Finland, taking all 14 crew members into police custody. The incident was detected on Wednesday when the Finnish Border Guard located the vessel, named Fitburg, suspected of interfering with the cable.

Police said the seizure took place in Finland's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), supported by the patrol ship Turva and a helicopter. Elisa, a Finnish telecommunications and digital services company, said the actual cable damage lies in Estonia's EEZ.

"Closely following the situation linked to the disruption to the data cable between Helsinki and Tallinn. I commend the Finnish authorities for their decisive and effective action, in close cooperation with Baltic and EU partners, to protect critical infrastructure," Costa wrote on US social media platform X.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also said on X that the Baltic Sea has seen "a clear pattern of disruptions since the start of Russia's war [in Ukraine], leaving Europe’s critical infrastructure at high risk."

She thanked Finland for its swift action in seizing the ship and crew suspected of damaging subsea cables, stressing that Europe remains "vigilant and in close contact" with Finland and Estonia.

"As the investigation continues, Europe remains vigilant and in close contact with Finland and Estonia. The EU will continue to fortify its critical infrastructure, including by investing in new cables, strengthening surveillance, ensuring more repair capacity, and moving against Moscow's shadow fleet, which also acts as a launchpad for hybrid attacks," she added.

Police are investigating the incident on suspicion of aggravated damage, attempted aggravated damage, and aggravated interference with telecommunications.

The Gulf of Finland is a strategically important maritime area, hosting multiple critical energy and data connections linking Nordic and Baltic countries.