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The European Commission announced further sanctions on the Russian shadow fleet

by AI | 26.Dec 2024 | Europe in brief AI

EC stated that “the incident with submarine cables in the Baltic Sea is the latest in a series of potential attacks on critical infrastructure.”

Tanker visible from the headquarters of the Russian energy corporation Gazprom, in Saint Petersburg, Russia, September 20, 2022. EFE/EPA/ANATOLY MALTSEV

The European Commission stated on Thursday that the tanker suspected of damaging the cable used to transmit energy between Finland and Estonia belongs to the so-called Russian tanker fleet. It announced that it would propose the imposition of further sanctions on this matter.

The matter concerns old tankers carrying Russian oil, including in the Baltic Sea. This is how Russia is trying to bypass the EU sanctions imposed, among others, on the sale of this Russian raw material. Currently, 72 of the estimated 600 Russian tankers belonging to the shadow fleet are on the blacklist. Poland, among others, is advocating for the inclusion of more units on the sanctions list and for strengthening cooperation with non-EU countries against the shadow fleet.

In its statement, the EC said, “The incident involving submarine cables in the Baltic Sea is the latest in a series of potential attacks on critical infrastructure.” “We commend the Finnish authorities for their swift action in boarding the suspicious vessel. We are cooperating with the Finnish authorities in the ongoing investigation,” the institution emphasized.

On Wednesday, the Estlink 2 power cable, running along the bottom of the Baltic Sea and connecting Finland with Estonia, was severed. On Thursday, the Finnish authorities reported that they suspected the tanker Eagle S, belonging to the so-called Russian shadow fleet, was responsible. Finnish services boarded the ship, and their suspicions were related to the fact that the anchors were not in their place.

“We strongly condemn any deliberate destruction of critical infrastructure in Europe,” added the EC.

As the EC informed, the suspected ship is part of the Russian shadow fleet, which threatens security and the environment while simultaneously funding the Russian war budget. “We will propose further measures, including sanctions, to strike this fleet,” it announced.

In response to these incidents, the EC wants to strengthen the protection of submarine cables, including information exchange.

According to the EC, there is currently no threat to the security of electricity supply in the region. (26.12.2024)