The captain of a vessel linked to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet has denied any intentional wrongdoing related to dragging an anchor that damaged undersea cables in the Baltic Sea, which is being investigated as an act of sabotage.
Captain Davit Vadacthkoria, a Georgian citizen, along with two senior officers of the Cook Islands-registered oil tanker Eagle S, are accused of allowing the ship’s anchor to scrape along the seabed for nearly 90 kilometers (56 miles), causing harm to five undersea cables in the Gulf of Finland on December 25, 2024.
They provided their testimonies earlier this week in the Helsinki District Court, facing charges of “aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with communications.”
Prosecutors allege that the crew willfully disregarded their responsibilities, while the defense argues that the damage was unintentional.
In court on Friday, Vadacthkoria stated that the crew had not seen any signs that the anchor had become dislodged.
“There was no reason to suspect that it was not secure,” he commented.
He mentioned that the security checks conducted before departure from the Russian port of Ust-Luga on December 25 revealed nothing “critical.”
He expressed his deep regret, saying, “As the captain, I want you to understand that I am taking responsibility for my actions. I have come here to tell the truth.”
Numerous undersea cables in the Baltic Sea were damaged last year, with many experts suggesting that this incident is part of a broader “hybrid war” by Russia against Western nations.
Moscow has been accused of utilizing its secretive “shadow fleet” to evade sanctions imposed by Western allies in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The defense stated that on the day the cables were severed, the ship had to slow down and stop at sea due to a malfunction with its main engine, compounded by adverse weather conditions.
The defendants asserted that Finnish authorities had reached out to Eagle S on the day of the incident to inquire about the ship’s anchors, to which the crew responded that they were secure.
Prosecutor Mikko Larkia questioned in court at the beginning of the hearings, “If a ship drags an anchor for several hours over a distance of 90 kilometers, is it plausible that no one would notice?”
The prosecution intends to pursue prison sentences of at least two and a half years for those involved.
