Court in Helsinki against Russian tanker: crew faces 10 years

A court process is taking place in Helsinki against the captain of the tanker Eagle S and his assistants, who are accused of damaging infrastructure in the Gulf of Finland. The tanker, belonging to the Russian 'shadow fleet', struck the Estlink 2 energy cable between Finland and Estonia and four internet cables as a result of dragging an anchor along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The crew acted intentionally, for which they were detained by the Finnish military.

The main defendants are the captain and two sailors, who could face up to 10 years in prison if found guilty. In total, the damages from the incident are estimated at over 60 million euros. This case has heightened tensions in international relations, particularly between NATO countries and Russia, and prompted NATO to increase its military presence in the Baltic Sea. The defendants have already expressed their uniqueness and claim that Finnish courts have no jurisdiction over this case due to its international nature.