**Oil Tanker Crew Plotted to Damage Undersea Cables**
A crew from an oil tanker, the Eagle S, was planning to cut more undersea cables in the Baltic Sea before being caught by authorities. The ship is accused of damaging power and communication cables between Finland and Estonia.
The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation said that the ship’s anchor had dragged along the seabed for over 100 kilometers, causing damage to four telecommunications cables and a power line. If not stopped, the crew could have damaged more critical infrastructure.
**Investigation Underway**
Nine crew members, including the captain from Georgia and sailors from India and Georgia, are being investigated by Finnish authorities. This is separate from another incident where a Chinese ship was suspected of dragging its anchor to sever undersea cables in November.
**Regional Concerns**
The Baltic Sea region has seen numerous disruptions to power cables, telecom links, and gas pipelines since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. NATO member states surrounding the Baltic Sea will meet on January 14 to discuss collective measures against such threats.
**Other Developments**
* Explosions were heard overnight in the city of Aleksin, Tula Oblast, allegedly caused by a drone attack.
* Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree imposing new sanctions on Russia’s financial sector, targeting 140 entities.
* The UK has invested in Ukraine’s air defense systems and long-range weapons production.
* Exhumation of Polish victims from the Volyn tragedy will begin in April.
* Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico offered to meet with President Zelensky near the Ukrainian border.
**International Support**
* Germany delivered the first batch of promised self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine.
* The European Union is allocating an additional 140 million euros in humanitarian assistance for Ukraine.
* Ukraine’s government approved a measure allowing foreign companies to modernize military equipment.