Cable sabotage in the Baltic Sea: a Russian captain and a crew member sentenced in Finland

A Russian captain and a crew member were sentenced to prison in Finland for sabotaging undersea cables in the Baltic Sea. The captain received three and a half years, while the Azerbaijani crew member was sentenced to two years and ten months. They were accused of dragging the ship's anchor over 130 kilometers, damaging two cables and attempting to degrade eight others. This incident occurred on December 31, 2025, when their cargo ship was intercepted by Finnish coast guards. Similar cases have arisen in the region, raising concerns about hybrid threats from Russia amid escalating tensions since the Ukraine invasion.