Finland Jails Russian Captain and Azerbaijani Crew Member Over Baltic Sea Cable Damage
A Finnish court has sentenced two crew members of the cargo ship Fitburg to prison for damaging underwater telecommunications cables in the Gulf of Finland.
On November 5, Helsinki District Court found the Russian captain, Andrei Maksimenko, and Azerbaijani crew member, Vusal Majidov, guilty of aggravated criminal damage.
The Russian captain received a prison sentence of three years and six months, while the Azerbaijani crew member was sentenced to two years and ten months.
According to the court, the ship dragged its anchor along approximately 130 kilometres of seabed on December 31, 2025, damaging two underwater telecommunications cables connecting Finland and Estonia.
The incident also created a risk of damage to several other telecommunications and electricity cables, as well as a gas pipeline.
The vessel was stopped by Finnish authorities while travelling from St. Petersburg, Russia, towards Israel.
Both defendants denied wrongdoing and challenged Finland's jurisdiction over the case. The court rejected their arguments. The verdict is not yet final and can be appealed.
The ruling comes amid growing concerns about the security of critical underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea region.
Why It Matters:
The case highlights Finland's increasing efforts to protect its telecommunications networks, energy infrastructure and maritime security amid rising tensions in the Baltic Sea.
#Finland #Russia #BalticSea #Helsinki #WorldNews #BreakingNews #MaritimeSecurity
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