The undersea electricity cable (EstLink 2) linking both countries failed at 2400hrs on 12/25/2024.
EstLink 2 is 170km long with 145km being undersea.
It is alleged that the cable was cut under the Baltic Sea south east of Helsinki.
There was no interruption to power supply in either country as backups were activated.
The vessel suspected of carrying out the sabotage has been named by Lloyds List as the Eagle S - a Panamax tanker of the Russian dark fleet. It frequently hops registry and flag. Lloyds List describes it as a “high risk tanker that compromises environment and crew safety” .
It is likely that Putin, having got away scot-free with the two preceding Baltic acts of sabotage has decided to increase the rhythm . After all the Yi Peng 3 sailed from the Kategatt Strait where it was surrounded by NATO and Russian ships without ever cooperating with the Swedish enquiry into the cutting of communications cable (C-Lion1) between Helsinki and Rostock etc) or allowing inspection by the Swedish authorities. It is now in Egypt - a US ally - enjoying the festivities.
Until the west decides to clamp down on “freedom of Passage” legislation the escalation will continue. Putin seeks to demonstrate that far from being a NATO lake, the Baltic is the soft underbelly of NATO.