Finland detains Azerbaijani man over alleged Russian steel transport, cable sabotage

Finland arrests Azerbaijani national

The Finnish coast guard has detained the cargo ship Fitburg in the Baltic Sea after damage was caused to an undersea communications cable between Finland and Estonia by a dragged anchor.

During the subsequent investigation, Russian steel subject to sanctions was found on board.

Authorities have applied to a court to remand a crew member, an Azerbaijani national, in custody in connection with the incident.

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Key details

Finnish telecom company Elisa reported a fault on the Helsinki–Tallinn undersea data cable before 05:00 on 31 December. The cargo ship Fitburg, suspected of involvement in the incident, was identified by a Finnish coast guard dive patrol and helicopters. Authorities then boarded the vessel for inspection.

The 132-metre ship, flying the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, was travelling from Saint Petersburg in Russia to Haifa in Israel.

Reports say that while underway, the ship’s anchor chain was lowered to the seabed and dragged for several hours, damaging a section of the cable.

The crew of 14 was multinational, including citizens of Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan.

Finnish police have detained two crew members and imposed travel bans on two others. According to Yle, investigators have requested the arrest of an Azerbaijani crew member, while a Russian crew member has been subject to a travel ban.

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In an official statement, the Finnish Customs Service said the ship’s cargo consisted of structural steel products of Russian origin, included on the EU sanctions list.

Customs authorities have confiscated the cargo and launched a preliminary investigation into a potential sanctions violation.

• Previous precedent

In December 2024, the tanker Eagle S was detained on suspicion of damaging the Estlink 2 power cable and several other communications cables. At that time, a Finnish court dismissed the charges, citing lack of jurisdiction because the incident occurred in the country’s exclusive economic zone.

The Fitburg case is seen as a second opportunity to address this legal gap.

Next steps

Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation is analysing anchor marks, the ship’s navigation log, and AIS data to determine whether the incident was deliberate. At the same time, customs authorities are investigating the origin of the steel products and how sanctions apply.

The case of the Azerbaijani national, for whom detention has been requested, will be considered in court; the outcome will determine Finland’s legal authority regarding damage in its exclusive economic zone.

The Azerbaijani government has not issued any statements regarding the arrest.

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Finland arrests Azerbaijani national