Finland Seizes Ship Sailing from Russia After Undersea Cable Damaged

Finnish authorities have seized the cargo ship Fitburg after a critical undersea telecommunications cable connecting Finland and Estonia was damaged on Wednesday.

The vessel, sailing from Russia to Israel, was found with its anchor chain lowered in the Gulf of Finland, off the coast of the Porkkala Peninsula. According to reports, the damaged cable runs between the Finnish capital, Helsinki, and the Estonian capital, Tallinn. The extent of the damage was not immediately clear.

Finnish authorities have boarded and detained a vessel in the Gulf of Finland, off the coast of the Porkkala Peninsula, that is suspected of damaging submarines cables running between Finland and Estonia. According to the Helsinki Times, the Fitburg, a Saint Vincent-flagged… pic.twitter.com/fynpGVfMIj

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) December 31, 2025

Finnish media reported that special forces and the coast guard seized the ship from helicopters at 11 a.m., about six hours after the disruption to the cables was first reported. Its 14-member crew, including citizens of Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan, were taken into custody.

Finland’s President Alexander Stubb said the government was monitoring the situation closely and that Finland was “prepared for security challenges of various kinds.” The police said they are investigating the incident as aggravated criminal damage, attempted aggravated criminal damage, and aggravated interference with telecommunications.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said he spoke to his Estonian counterpart, Kristen Michal, about the situation, adding that the two countries were cooperating on the issue.

Estonia’s Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs said in a statement that the country’s connections remain sufficiently backed up through other sea and land cables, ensuring the continuity of all services.

Cable disruptions suspected to be linked to Russia have become increasingly frequent in recent years, prompting NATO to launch initiatives this year to strengthen the protection of critical undersea infrastructure.