Finnish border services quickly responded to a suspicious vessel that crossed from Estonia into Finland's economic zone, ordering it to enter Finnish territorial waters. In reality, the vessel 'Fitburg' had been dragging its anchor for several hours when Finnish authorities detained it. This did not appear to be an accident, especially considering the immense attention surrounding a series of cable cuts in the Baltic Sea, which began with the vessel 'New Polar Bear'. Claiming ignorance of a vessel dragging its anchor is no longer a reasonable excuse after several high-profile incidents where crew members stated they were unaware of the situation. Authorities speculated this might be related to the weather, but no one was certain; the weather during that period was not particularly severe. Unfortunately, within less than a week, six marine cables were damaged. After a one-year hiatus in sabotage, the ghost of cable-cutting seems to have returned. On December 31, a data cable connecting Finland and Estonia was disrupted, and it quickly became clear it had been struck by an external object. Finnish and Estonian authorities identified the likely culprit among the ships sailing in the Gulf of Finland. Now, with NATO distracted by the Greenland crisis, the question arises: what can Western nations do in response to these attacks? In Northern Europe, a completely different drama was unfolding. While the world watched the dramatic US-led operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, other dramatic events were taking place in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland. Since then, the recurring cable incidents have made Baltic Sea nations more experienced and coordinated. However, there was another aspect to the 'Fitburg's' New Year's journey through the Gulf of Finland: a second cable was also damaged. Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, NATO's highest-ranking military officer, told the Financial Times in November 2025: 'Since the activation of the 'Baltic Guard' system, nothing has happened.' They also established the 'Baltic Watcher', an AI-based surveillance system. These nations had already improved information sharing. It seemed to be working; since the 'Eagle S' incident in the Gulf of Finland, no anchor had been accidentally dragged across the Baltic Sea floor for months. As soon as 'Fitburg' entered territorial waters, a Finnish helicopter appeared, from which police officers descended and took control of the vessel, which was already dragging its anchor. The authorities detained the ship and its crew, which included sailors from Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan. But while the world's attention was on Venezuela, few paid heed to the Baltic Sea. At the end of last year, on December 31, a data cable connecting Finland and Estonia was disrupted, and it quickly became clear it had been struck by an external object. By 2026, the problem was not limited to two cables cut on New Year's Eve; three more cables were damaged in the days leading up to it. This means the deterrent is working. By 2026, the problem was not limited to two cables cut on New Year's Eve; three more cables were damaged in the days leading up to it. This concerns the cargo ship 'Fitburg', flying the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which was en route from Russia's St. Petersburg to Israel's Haifa and was sailing directly over the cable when it failed. Furthermore, Finnish authorities noticed the ship was dragging its anchor. Finnish President Alexander Stubb commented on the matter, and a press conference was held by the police, customs, and border guard. In October 2023, when the Chinese container ship 'New Polar Bear' struck a sea cable and pipeline in the Gulf of Finland, a swift and firm response seemed unimaginable. The 'Baltic Guard' system was created, which is essentially a patrol and alert system in the Baltic Sea. This cable belonged to the Swedish company 'Arelion', whose cable was also damaged during the 'New Polar Bear's' destructive voyage in October 2023. After the oil tanker 'Eagle S' cut five cables on Christmas Day 2024, Baltic Sea nations and NATO rushed to implement new measures. Finland complies with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
