Finnish court sentences Fitburg captain and crew for sabotaging subsea cables
The Helsinki District Court handed down prison terms of three years and six months to Russian captain Andrei Maksimenko and two years and ten months to Azerbaijani boatswain Vusal Majidov for aggravated sabotage after their cargo ship Fitburg dragged its anchor across the seabed for roughly 130 kilometres, damaging two telecommunications cables linking Helsinki and Estonia. The court also ordered the pair to pay about 1.9 million euros in damages, with the captain liable for an additional 85 000 euros. Both defendants deny wrongdoing and the captain plans to appeal the verdict.
Key facts
- The anchor drag covered roughly 130 kilometres along the seabed, creating a long drag trail detected by Finnish police.
- Both men remain under travel bans following the sentencing.
- The damaged cables were part of the communication link between Helsinki and Tallinn, Estonia.
- Western officials have warned that Russia tested new technology in 2026 to disrupt undersea communications cables.
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Why it matters
The case highlights legal and security risks to critical undersea infrastructure.
What changed
First published from The Straits Times, DR Nyheder, DW, Tagesschau and Yle News