Baerbock calls for tougher EU sanctions against Russia's 'shadow fleet'

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called for further EU sanctions against Russia's "shadow fleet" after an underwater electricity cable was damaged near Finland.

She made the statement to the Funke media group, including WAZ, Ukrinform reports.

"Ships now damage important underwater cables in the Baltic Sea almost every month. Ship crews drop anchors into the water, dragging them for miles along the seabed without any clear reason, and then lose them when they are raised," Baerbock said, adding that she finds it "hard to believe" this is a mere coincidence.

She said this should be an "urgent wake-up call" for all Europeans to further protect critical infrastructure. She noted that in the digital world, underwater cables are "the communication veins that hold the world together."

Baerbock emphasized that there is strong reason to believe that the Estlink 2 and other cables were damaged by tankers. She also referenced the Finnish police, who consider it highly likely that a ship's anchor became entangled in the cables.

"The current incident shows once again: the often outdated Russian shadow fleet, to which the ship now detained by Finland belongs, poses a great danger to our environment and our security. Russia is using it to finance its war of aggression in Ukraine, which violates international law," Baerbock said.

The 170-kilometer-long Estlink 2 electricity cable between Estonia and Finland was damaged on Wednesday, December 25. Finnish authorities detained the Eagle S, an oil tanker belonging to Russia's "shadow fleet," on suspicion of sabotage. The ship is registered with the Cook Islands.

In mid-December, the EU imposed sanctions on more than 50 vessels used by Russia to illegally transport oil and other goods.