Finnish police have confirmed that, as part of a joint operation with Estonia, a vessel has been seized by Finnish authorities after it was suspected of damaging telecoms provider Elisa's cable running under the Gulf of Finland between Helsinki and Tallinn. The Finnish police say that the damage to the cable occurred within the waters of Estonia's exclusive economic zone, and that the seized vessel's anchor chain was found to have been lowered into the sea. It is now known at present which country the vessel is associated with.
- Posting on X, Finland's President Alexander Stubb said, "We are monitoring the situation in close cooperation with the government. Finland is prepared for security challenges of various kinds, and we respond to them as necessary."
- Helsingin Sanomat: "The disruption has no impact on Elisa's services in Finland or Estonia "due to the network's reliable structure," Elisa said in a statement. However, the disruption may have had an impact on customers who have purchased direct transmission connections from cable."
- Earlier in 2025, crew from a Cook Island-flagged vessel believed to be part of Russia's 'shadow fleet' were charged over an incident in Dec 2024, when five cables running between Finland and Estonia were damaged by an anchor dragged for 90km.
- Russia hawks in Europe have warned that such incidents are likely to continue as part of 'hybrid attacks' by Moscow intended to unnerve, distract, and disrupt European nations amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.