Finnish Prosecutor Requests Jail Term for Crew of Russian Shadow Fleet Ship

The Finnish prosecutor has requested a 2.5-year prison sentence for three crew members of the ship Eagle S, which is associated with Russia’s shadow fleet of illegal oil tankers. The accused include the captain, Georgian citizen Davit Vadachkoria, his senior assistant, and the helmsman. They face charges of sabotage and violating communication regulations under aggravating circumstances, related to the damage of five underwater cables in the Baltic Sea, The Moscow Times reported on August 26.

According to the investigation, on December 25, 2024, the oil tanker Eagle S, registered in the Cook Islands, dragged its anchor across the seabed, damaging the EstLink 2 electric cable (658 MW), which connects Finland and Estonia, as well as four internet cables.

The damage path spanned 90 kilometers. Despite repeated inquiries from Finnish authorities asking if the anchor had been raised, the crew falsely confirmed it had been, leading to suspicions of deceit.

The defense denies the accusations of lying, claiming that the captain was unaware of the incident. However, the prosecutor pointed out that the anchor retention mechanism was partially broken “due to wear and long-term neglect of maintenance,” making it apparent even during a visual inspection.

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This, the prosecutor argued, showed the Eagle S crew knowingly took risks by sailing with faulty equipment. Additionally, after the anchor fell into the water, the ship’s speed significantly decreased, but the captain ignored it and continued to sail for another six hours, The Moscow Times writes.

Vadachkoria insists the incident was not intentional, attributing the speed reduction to an engine failure and not considering the anchor’s involvement. The prosecution claims the incident posed a serious threat to the energy and communication systems, with the state spending €60 million on repairs.

The defense attempted to move the case to a maritime court, arguing that Finland had no jurisdiction to file charges. However, the prosecution countered that the tanker entered Finnish territorial waters, allowing the coast guard to board the Eagle S via helicopter and detain the vessel, which was en route from Russia to Egypt with a cargo of oil.

According to Financial Times, the tanker’s owners are registered in Dubai, a jurisdiction that does not disclose its beneficiaries. The ship did not have Western insurance. In May, the Eagle S was added to the EU sanctions list for “non-standard and high-risk shipping practices.”

Previously, it was reported that an oil tanker chartered by BP has departed the Indian port of Vadinar without loading its planned cargo of diesel fuel, signaling the first visible impact of new EU sanctions targeting Russian-linked energy exports.

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