The Eagle S, a tanker ship carrying Russian oil and suspected of severing the Estlink 2 power cable beneath the Baltic Sea between Finland and Estonia, was reportedly loaded with spy equipment, according to a Lloyd’s List report. 

Finnish police and border guards boarded the Eagle S and detained the vessel in Finnish territorial waters after authorities suspected it of dragging its anchor to damage the Estlink 2 undersea power cable which connects Finland and Estonia, on December 25. 

Picture of Finnish special forces storming a
Vessel of the Russian shadow fleet.

Eagle S was boarded and confiscated by the Finns for destroying undersea power cables and telecommunications cables.

The Russians are now upset, calling the Finns “pirates” pic.twitter.com/J5NJIYLx5S

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) December 29, 2024

Investigators discovered high-tech surveillance devices on the ship, reportedly used to monitor NATO naval and air activities. The equipment, brought aboard in large suitcases along with laptops, could intercept radio frequencies and was operated by crew members of Russian, Turkish, and Indian origin.

The ship also allegedly dropped sensor devices in other locations, including the English Channel, during previous voyages.

“The hi-tech equipment on board was abnormal for a merchant ship and consumed more power from the ship’s generator, leading to repeated blackouts,” Lloyd’s List’s report noted. 

The cargo ship is linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet” of aging oil tankers used to circumvent Western sanctions. These vessels are often used for covert operations and sanctioned oil trades. 

The investigation continues, with authorities working to determine whether the cable damage was deliberate sabotage. Meanwhile, regional powers are boosting security measures to safeguard vital undersea infrastructure.

The severing of Estlink-2 follows recent disruptions to Baltic undersea infrastructure. In November 2024, two undersea data cables connecting Finland, Germany, Lithuania and Sweden were cut.