Baltic Sea telecom cables restored after alleged sabotage incident

Two telecom cables connecting Estonia and Finland under the Baltic Sea have been repaired after suspected sabotage, Finnish operator Elisa said on Monday.

Finnish authorities are investigating the suspected sabotage of four telecoms cables and one power cable on December 25 just weeks after other cables in the region were severed.

Experts and politicians have said recent actions targeting vital infrastructure are part of a hybrid war between Russia and Western countries.

"The repairs took place today," Elisa's security chief Jaakko Wallenius told AFP, adding that the cables seemed to have been severed by an anchor.

Investigators suspect an oil tanker named as Eagle S of the sabotage, accusing the vessel of transporting Russian oil products, which are embargoed over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"There is compelling evidence of the Eagle S at the site," Wallenius said, though he added it was up to law enforcement to determine who was responsible.

Flying the flag of the Cook Islands, the Eagle S is located to the east of Helsinki near Porvoo according to the MarineTraffic website, and eight of its sailors have been banned from leaving Finnish territory.

The power cable damaged on December 25, the Estlink 2, has not yet been repaired.

One of the telecoms cables -- running between Finland and Germany -- should be fixed by January 10, according to operator Cinia.

There was no information about the final cable affected by the incident, operated by CITIC between Tallinn and Helsinki.