A Russian-linked tanker called the Eagle S, which is suspected of intentionally cutting Baltic Sea power and data cables, was also loaded with “spy equipment.” That’s what a source close to Finnish authorities, who seized the ship, told The Telegraph on Saturday, Dec. 28.
The Finnish coast guard crew that inspected the Cook Islands-registered vessel reportedly found evidence of equipment used to monitor NATO’s naval ships and aircraft.
According to the anonymous source, the ship was full of “huge portable suitcases” and “many laptops,” revealing the Eagle S dropped “sensor type devices” in the English Channel, and would unload the recording equipment once it reached Russia.
However, the anonymous source could not confirm if the recording equipment was still onboard when the Finnish coast guard seized the vessel.
The source did say that the Eagle S crew members would have been aware of Russian spying, but most likely kept quiet because of threats to their lives from Moscow. After the ship’s seizure, the Helsinki Police Department moved the Eagle S from the Gulf of Finland to a better location for a more thorough investigation.
NATO also announced it is increasing its presence in the region in response to the suspected Russian sabotage of Estlink-2 and other undersea cables recently.
Finland reportedly believes the Eagle S is part of a “shadow fleet” of old tankers being used to escape sanctions on Russian oil and now potentially spying.
The Kremlin denied it had anything to do with damage to any of the telecommunication lines in the Baltic Sea, and said Finland’s capture of the Eagle S is of little concern to Russia.
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