EU prepares sanctions against Russia's shadow fleet after damage to cables in Baltic Sea
The European Union will propose sanctions against Russia's shadow fleet following the damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea.
Source: a joint statement by the European Commission and Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Details: The statement condemned any deliberate destruction of Europe's critical infrastructure.
"The suspected vessel is part of Russia’s shadow fleet, which threatens security and the environment, while funding Russia’s war budget. We will propose further measures, including sanctions, to target this fleet," the statement said.
In response to these incidents, the bloc plans to intensify efforts to protect submarine cables, including enhanced information sharing, the introduction of new detection technologies, improved undersea repair capabilities and increased international cooperation.
Background:
- On 18 November, Finland's undersea communication cable with Germany was severed, and an investigation into the cause is currently underway.
- On 2 December, a fibre-optic cable connecting Finland to Sweden was damaged, resulting in a large-scale communication breakdown.
- On 25 December, it was announced that three undersea communication cables connecting Estonia and Finland had failed.
- Finnish authorities are investigating an oil tanker linked to Russia's shadow fleet to determine whether it was involved in cutting an electrical cable between Finland and Estonia.
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