Finnish prosecutors filed charges against the captain and the bosun of the cargo ship Fitburg for damaging subsea telecommunications cables. The charges relate to damage to two subsea telecommunications cables that occurred on December 31 in the Gulf of Finland. According to the Maritime Executive, the captain and bosun were charged with aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with telecommunications.

The cargo ship Fitburg was boarded by Finnish authorities on December 31. The Moscow Times reported that the vessel was traveling from Russia to Israel at the time of the boarding. The captain is a Russian citizen, and the bosun is an Azerbaijani citizen, according to the Maritime Executive.

Prosecutors believe the ship was attempting to damage additional cables when it was stopped. A decision on possible charges against two other officers from the cargo ship, who are also detained in Finland, will be made at a later date, according to the Maritime Executive. The offenses carry prison sentences ranging between two and ten years.