President calls for strengthening maritime infrastructure security

President Alexander Stubb was on Friday briefed on the damage to cables in the Baltic Sea on Christmas Day, according to a government press release.

The president was briefed alongside the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy.

The President and the Ministerial Committee noted that Finland considers it important to increase NATO’s maritime presence in the Baltic Sea in order to secure underwater infrastructure. Finland will continue to be in close contact with its Allies and partners. Finland is working actively with the other coastal states around the Baltic Sea and in the EU and NATO to further crack down on the activities of the Russian shadow fleet.

The vessel under investigation, the Eagle S freighter registered to the Cook Islands, is currently detained in Finland’s territorial waters. The Finnish authorities carrying out the investigations on board the vessel will provide more information on the investigations as they progress.

Despite the cuts to the Estlink 2 power cable between Finland and Estonia and to several telecommunications cables, Finland’s energy and telecommunications situation remains stable.