Fitburg crew faces trial for damaging undersea cables

The Helsinki District Court is hearing the case of the captain and mate of the cargo ship Fitburg, who are accused of damaging undersea cables in the Gulf of Finland on New Year's Day. Prosecutors allege that the Russian captain, Andrei Maksimenko, and an Azerbaijani mate caused significant danger to energy and telecommunications infrastructure by damaging fiber optic cables used by Elisa and Arelion Finland.

According to the prosecution, the vessel dragged an anchor chain and a damaged anchor along the seabed for approximately 130 kilometers in waters outside Finland's territorial limits. The defendants face charges of aggravated vandalism and aggravated interference with telecommunications, with prosecutors seeking at least 2.5 years of unconditional imprisonment for both men.

Both Maksimenko and the mate deny the charges. Maksimenko stated during the investigation that the ship follows maritime charts regarding cables and pipes. He argued that the vessel left port in Saint Petersburg under tow and claimed that the tugboat would not have moved if the anchor had been deployed. He maintains that the vessel did not cause the damage.