Turva, an offshore patrol vessel of the Finnish Border Guard, at sea near the damaged gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia. The National Bureau of Investigation (KRP) says the focus of its investigation into the apparent sabotage is presently focused on the role of Newnew Polar Bear, a Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship owned by China’s Newnew Shipping. (Handout / Finnish Border Guard)
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THE NATIONAL BUREAU of Investigation (KRP) on Friday revealed that Newnew Polar Bear, a Chinese cargo ship registered in Hong Kong, is the current focal point of its investigation into the sabotage of Balticconnector, an underwater gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia.
The investigators have established that the movements of the vessel align with the time and place of the pipeline damage. The damage occurred in the early hours of 8 October 2023.
Further analyses of the background and movements of the vessel will be carried out in co-operation with international partners.
KRP on Thursday reported that it has completed its investigation of the scene of the incident, discovering what it believes to be an “extremely heavy object” in a “huge lump of soil” in the clay seabed.
“The investigation has confirmed that the damage was caused by an external mechanical force, and, based on our current knowledge, there is no reason to believe the damage has been caused by an explosion,” Risto Lohi, a detective superintendent at KRP, commented in the press release on Friday.
Investigators are presently looking into the nature of the object and its possible link to the pipeline damage, with the crime scene investigation set to continue whenever weather and sea conditions allow.
“Attempts will be made to lift the object from the sea for technical examination,” he said.
Matti Puranen, a senior researcher at the Finnish National Defence University, stated to Helsingin Sanomat on Friday that he cannot think of a motive for China to participate in sabotage as far away from its territorial waters as the Gulf of Finland.
“This’d be an everyday occurrence near China. But it’d be something new and remarkable if the country broke a foreign state’s infrastructure this far away,” he said. “It’s difficult to see how it’d be in China’s interest to sabotage infrastructure in the Nordics.”
While Russia would have a clear motive for such action, Puranen doubts that China would be ready to assist its ally.
“The only remotely rational explanation is that a private operator is responsible,” he said, conceding that he also cannot think of a reason for a private operator to participate in the sabotage. “Besides, Russians surely know how to tear out cables without help from the Chinese.”
Newnew Polar Brea is owned by Newnew Shipping, a Chinese shipping company that operates especially between China and St. Petersburg, Russia.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
