Finnish Court Rules No Jurisdiction Over Russian Tanker Baltic Sea Cable Damage

A Finnish court has ruled that it lacks jurisdiction to prosecute the captain and crew of the Russian-linked oil tanker Eagle S, accused of damaging undersea power and communication cables in the Baltic Sea. The court determined that the incident occurred in Finland's exclusive economic zone, not territorial waters, placing prosecution authority with the ship's flag state or the defendants' home countries under international maritime law. The crew members, charged with aggravated vandalism and interference with telecommunications due to alleged negligence, were acquitted and their legal costs were ordered to be covered by the Finnish state. The damage, which included cutting the Estlink 2 power cable between Finland and Estonia, raised concerns amid heightened geopolitical tensions and NATO's increased security measures in the region following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Despite suspicions of deliberate sabotage linked to Russia's shadow fleet, evidentiary challenges and jurisdictional complications prevented Finnish courts from pursuing convictions. This case highlights the difficulties in legally addressing undersea infrastructure damage amid complex international law and geopolitical conflict.