According to Finnish police on Sunday, the anchor of a cargo ship responsible for damage to an underwater cable that connects Helsinki and Tallinn was dragged along the seafloor for “at least several tens of kilometers” before striking the line.

On December 31, 2025, authorities apprehended the Fitburg, a 132-meter-long cargo vessel traveling from St. Petersburg to Haifa, Israel, amid suspicions that its anchor had caused harm to the subsea cable in the Gulf of Finland.

Finnish officials have initiated an inquiry into charges of “aggravated criminal damage, attempted aggravated criminal damage, and severe disruption of telecommunications.”

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, various analysts and political figures perceive the alleged sabotage of the cable as a component of a “hybrid warfare” strategy employed by Russia against Western nations.

In a statement, police indicated, “We have grounds to believe that the Fitburg’s anchor and chain have dragged along the seabed for at least several tens of kilometers prior to reaching the damaged area.”

A Helsinki court has mandated the one-week detention of an Azerbaijani individual, as reported by lead investigator Kimmo Huhta-aho to the media following the court session. The ship’s crew comprises 14 members from Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan.

Additionally, three crew members, including one from Russia, have been placed under a travel restriction.

The cable, situated within Estonia’s exclusive economic zone, is owned by the Finnish telecommunications company Elisa.

In recent years, there has been damage to energy and communication infrastructure, including underwater cables and pipelines in the Baltic Sea, leading to suspicions regarding Russian involvement.