Finnish court convicts crew over cable damage
The captain and boatswain of the Fitburg freighter received prison sentences for damaging two telecom cables.
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A Finnish court on Thursday convicted the Russian captain and an Azerbaijani crew member of the Fitburg freighter of serious sabotage. The cables in the Gulf of Finland were damaged late last year after the ship dragged its anchor dozens of kilometres across the seabed.
The court in Helsinki sentenced the captain to three years and six months in prison. The boatswain received two years and ten months. According to the court, the two acted deliberately when the anchor chain and anchor stock dragged for around 130 kilometres across the seabed.
The incident damaged two undersea telecom cables linking Finland and Estonia. Finland seized the Fitburg on 31 December, when the ship was travelling from St Petersburg to Israel. The vessel was sailing under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
According to AP, the court said the anchor’s locking mechanism was working properly and that the anchor had been raised the previous day. AP reported that the indictment did not allege that the captain personally ordered the anchor to be lowered. The court did, however, conclude that both defendants must have known that the anchor was dragging along the seabed.
According to Reuters, the convicted men deny guilt and have challenged Finland’s jurisdiction to hear the case. The captain’s lawyer has announced an appeal; according to Reuters, the boatswain had not yet made a decision. The court also ordered them to pay joint compensation of approximately €1.9 million. The captain must pay a further approximately €85,000.
The ruling comes against the backdrop of several incidents involving cables and pipelines in the Baltic Sea since 2022. Finland has expanded its protection of undersea infrastructure and held an exercise as recently as September in which a ship was boarded. The ruling says nothing about possible Russian state involvement; the only established facts are what the Finnish court charged the two crew members with in this case and found proven.
For European telecoms companies, energy firms and governments, the case is relevant because cables and pipelines form vital connections, while legal responsibility at sea can be complicated. The captain has announced that he will challenge the verdict in Finland. It is not yet clear whether the issue of international jurisdiction will also be considered on appeal.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- A Finnish court convicted two crew members of serious sabotage.
- The case concerns damage to two telecom cables between Finland and Estonia.
- The defendants deny guilt and an appeal is possible.
Left
Arguments Emphasises that protecting vital infrastructure requires international cooperation and transparent evidence, without holding entire nationalities or states collectively responsible.
Values The rule of law, international cooperation and protecting civilians from escalation.
Consequences Warns that broad accusations without evidence increase tensions and may stigmatise maritime workers.
Centre
Arguments Sees the verdict as a legal case that must be pursued under national and international law, alongside practical cable security.
Values Institutional diligence, evidence and the continuity of vital infrastructure.
Consequences Expects more monitoring and exercises, but awaits the appeal and the jurisdiction issue.
Right
Arguments Emphasises that European countries must take tougher action against sabotage and subject ships with unclear ties or flags to stricter checks.
Values National security, deterrence and the protection of strategic infrastructure.
Consequences Fears that restraint will invite new incidents and calls for higher sentences and permanent surveillance.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The core facts, sentences and compensation amounts were checked directly against AP and Reuters. The text clearly distinguishes between the facts proven in the verdict and broader, unsubstantiated suspicions.
- confirmed The Helsinki District Court sentenced the captain to three years and six months and the boatswain to two years and ten months. — AP and Reuters both report the same sentences. source
- confirmed Two telecom cables were damaged after the anchor was dragged for approximately 130 kilometres across the seabed. — This is stated in reporting by AP and Reuters. source
- confirmed The defendants deny guilt and an appeal is possible. — Reuters reports the denial and the captain’s announced appeal. source
- confirmed The ruling does not prove Russian state involvement. — The available sources describe the conviction of two crew members and provide no evidence of state direction. source
Editor's note
The conviction and sentences were confirmed by AP and Reuters. The defendants deny guilt and an appeal is possible; these sources contain no evidence of any direction by Russia.Sources
- Russian captain among 2 crew found guilty of damaging Baltic cables — The Associated Press
- Finland court convicts Russian captain, Azerbaijani crew member over Baltic Sea cable damage — Reuters
- Charges brought in the case concerning the cutting of submarine cables — National Prosecution Authority of Finland
More on this in Dutch media
- AD — „finland oostzee”
- de Volkskrant — „finland oostzee”
- RTL Nieuws — „finland oostzee”