Finland Jails 2 Sailors Over Cable Damage

Finland on Thursday sentenced two crew members of the cargo ship Fitburg for damaging undersea cables in the Gulf of Finland in late 2025.The accused include the Russian captain, Andrei Maksimenko, and an Azeri boatswain, Vusal Medzhidov, according to Finnish outlet Yle.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.Maksimenko received a three-year and six-month sentence, while Medzhidov was sentenced to two years and 10 months. The two are required to pay joint damage reparations of €1.9 million ($2.1 million), with another €85,000 ($95,356) imposed on the captain, Reuters reported, citing the court’s verdict.Maksimenko’s lawyer said he would appeal the verdict, while Medzhidov’s lawyer said he has yet to decide, Reuters said. Yle said the court decision is not final, and the accused could still appeal.The court argued that the ship, sailing from Russia’s St. Petersburg to Israel in late 2025, intentionally dragged its anchor for ​around 130 km (81 miles) across the Gulf of Finland. The two denied wrongdoing.Yle noted that the prison terms were stronger than the two-and-a-half-year prison term for both the accused originally sought by prosecutors.Damages on New Year’s EveFinnish authorities seized the Fitburg on Dec. 31, 2025, after suspecting it of damaging the undersea cable.The cable is operated by Finnish telecoms group Elisa in Estonia’s exclusive economic zone. The Fitburg was carrying Russian steel targeted by EU sanctions when it was detained, Finland’s customs service said at the time. Other Topics of Interest Oleshky Residents Left Without Aid, People Left Behind Some residents missed the evacuation because they had no communication, while others feared Russian “filtration.” Its crew of 14 were also detained. Finnish investigators said it comprises nationals of Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan. Authorities initially arrested two crew members and imposed travel restrictions on two others.Subsequent reports suggest an Azeri crew member was detained for a week, while three others – including an unnamed Russian crew member – were placed under a travel ban.Finnish police and border officials said the ship had been dragging its anchor before being instructed to move into Finnish territorial waters.The ship was released on Jan. 12, 2026.Strings of undersea cable incidentsThe Fitburg incident forms part of a series of undersea cable damages after 2022, with Western governments accusing Moscow of staging the incidents, a claim the Kremlin denied.A study published in July 2025 by the University of Washington found that 10 subsea cables in the Baltic Sea had been cut since 2022.In December 2024, Finnish police announced that they would investigate whether a Russian vessel was responsible for damage to an electricity cable between Finland and Estonia.Eight NATO states border the Baltic Sea, alongside Russia, and the shallow seabed has become a focal point for concerns over vulnerability to interference. In response, NATO has expanded patrols using frigates, aircraft, and naval drones. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.