Security around the Baltic Sea

Analysis: Russian shadow fleet poses new dangers for the West

Western countries have long been concerned about Russia's so-called shadow fleet. After the invasion of Ukraine, the shadow fleet has been used primarily as a way to circumvent sanctions and generate revenue that can be used for war.

"But Russia's shadow fleet may now pose a more pressing danger to the West," writes Michael Schwirtz in an analysis in the New York Times.

He writes that everything indicates that the oil tanker Eagle S, which is suspected of involvement in the sabotage of the Estlink 2 power cable between Estonia and Finland, belongs to the shadow fleet.

"With so many ships at sea, the idea of ​​using some to cause havoc may prove irresistible to the Kremlin."

TV4 Nyheter's Jonas Björck does not believe that it is a coincidence that the countries affected by the cable break are supporting Ukraine. He says, among other things, that sabotage causes great economic costs.

– The purpose of this is of course to spread fear and anxiety in the countries that are exposed to this, says Björck.

Eagle S moved to protected port in the Gulf of Finland

The oil tanker Eagle S will be moved to a more protected port further into the Gulf of Finland on Saturday. This is reported by TT.

The Russian ship will be moved from the Porkala peninsula to a port in Porvoo, just east of Helsinki. Two pilots and a tugboat are escorting Eagle S, while units from the Finnish Border Guard have been deployed to monitor.

The move will make it easier for the police to get to Eagle S. Previously, investigators had to be winched down from a helicopter to the ship's deck. 

Russian researcher wants to see escorts for ships: “Provocation”

The fact that the ship Eagle S has been singled out as a suspect in the cable sabotage between Finland and Estonia – and was boarded by Finnish authorities in a dawn raid – should be considered a “provocation from the US”. This is the opinion of Russian researcher Alexander Stepanov, Expressen writes, referring to the Russian state news agency Tass.

Stepanov believes that similar actions have escalated ongoing conflicts in the past. Therefore, Russian merchant ships operating in the Gulf of Finland need to be escorted by “friendly” ships.

– This is the most likely solution. But even this does not guarantee that we can avoid provocations, he told the news agency, according to Expressen.

However, no evidence has been presented that the US was involved in the matter.