**Russian Tanker Likely Caused Damage to Underwater Power Cable, Finland Says**
A Russian tanker is believed to have damaged a 170-kilometer undersea power cable in the Gulf of Finland. The Estlink 2 cable connects Finland and Estonia.
The damage was reported on Christmas Day. Authorities are investigating if it was an accident or intentional sabotage.
**What Happened?**
The Finnish police say that the anchor of the Russian vessel Eagle S likely caused the damage. The ship was detained in Finnish waters, and investigators are gathering evidence.
**The “Shadow Fleet”**
Finnish customs officials believe that the ship is part of Russia’s “shadow fleet”. This group of vessels helps the Kremlin evade sanctions.
**Impact on Power Supply**
The Estlink 2 has been offline since the incident. Repairing the cable could take months, which threatens the power supply in the winter season. The Finnish and Estonian governments are holding emergency meetings to discuss the situation.
**Political Reaction**
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said that Helsinki is not in contact with Moscow about the incident. He also stated that Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine led to the damage.
“The government is doing everything it can to address the issue,” Orpo said. “The shadow fleet is a major risk to other Baltic littoral states and the rest of the EU.”
Orpo also mentioned that Nordic countries are on high alert due to increasing security threats from Russia.
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