The Deep Draft

Finnish authorities have significantly escalated their investigation into the cargo ship Fitburg following its seizure in the Gulf of Finland on December 31, 2025.
Current Investigation and Arrests
Finnish police have officially arrested two crew members on suspicion of damaging the undersea telecommunications cable between Finland and Estonia. While their specific identities have not been released, the total crew of 14 consists of nationals from Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan. In addition to the arrests, two other crew members have been placed under travel bans to ensure they remain available for further questioning.
Discovery of Sanctioned Cargo
Beyond the cable damage, Finnish Customs confirmed that the Fitburg was carrying Russian-origin structural steel, which is strictly prohibited under European Union sectoral sanctions. This sanctioned cargo was discovered during a four-hour structural inspection of the vessel’s holds and deck. Customs has launched a separate pre-trial investigation into a potential sanctions violation.
The Incident and Evidence
The ship was intercepted by the Finnish Border Guard and special forces (Karhu unit) after it was observed sailing with its anchor chain lowered in the sea near the damaged cable.
•⁠ ⁠Damaged Infrastructure: The incident affected a cable owned by the Finnish company Elisa, and a second outage was reported by the Swedish provider Arelion.
•⁠ ⁠Criminal Charges: The case is being investigated as aggravated criminal damage, aggravated interference with telecommunications, and attempted aggravated sabotage.
International Response
The Russian Embassy in Helsinki has officially requested details from Finnish authorities regarding the detention of its citizens and has stated it is ready to provide consular assistance. Meanwhile, NATO and EU officials are monitoring the case closely, as it mirrors a pattern of “hybrid threats” involving Russian-linked vessels such as the Eagle S incident in late 2024 targeting critical Baltic infrastructure.