Is Cable Cutting a Crime Without Punishment?

Finland detained a vessel named Eagle S, which had dragged its anchor across the seabed and damaged submarine cables in the Baltic Sea. The investigation took some time, after which the evidence was submitted to a Finnish district court, i.e., the lowest judicial instance.

Instead of assessing the criminal liability of the act and delivering a verdict to those found guilty, the district court ruled that it had no jurisdiction to decide in such a criminal case. Therefore, the matter should be dealt with either in the courts of the crew’s home countries or in the courts of the flag state of the Eagle S. In other words, the case would fall under the jurisdiction of the Cook Islands, Georgia, or India.

However, Professor Ulla Tapaninen, a maritime transport expert at Tallinn University of Technology, has noted that “district courts often prefer to move complex cases up to higher judicial levels.” For this reason, she argues it is reasonable that the Eagle S case would be escalated from the district court to the court of appeal, which is one step higher in the judicial hierarchy.

In other words, the Finnish professor at the Estonian university assumes that the legal proceedings will continue in Finland. This raises the question: if that happens, will the court of appeal consider itself competent—contrary to the district court’s conclusion—to convict the crew of the Eagle S?

And if that is the case, who will bear the costs? The Finnish taxpayer, who has already been burdened with bills amounting to hundreds of thousands of euros?

And what would happen after such a farce? Would the case then be transferred to the courts of the Cook Islands, Georgia, or India—or would the legal consequences of the damage caused by the Eagle S to the submarine cables ultimately remain unaddressed?

And furthermore, if that is the case, does it mean that in the future the submarine cables running along the seabed of the Baltic Sea and other seas may be cut at will and without consequences?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Did Russia Realize the Risk Was Too Great?
Sabotage in the Baltic Sea Sparks Calls for New Maritime Borders
Finland Detains Russia-Linked Ship Suspected of Cable Damage

Finland Detains Russia-Linked Ship Suspected of Cable Damage

Finnish authorities have detained a ship Eagle S registered in the Cook Islands, suspected of damaging the cable between Finland and Estonia. The vessel was found to be carrying approximately 35,000 tons of unleaded gasoline imported from Russia, suggesting an attempt to bypass sanctions imposed on Russia.

Finland has seized the oil, ensuring it will not reach the global market or contribute to funding Putin's war in Ukraine. This is, of course, an excellent outcome.

Finnish authorities have also gathered evidence indicating that the vessel was responsible for the cable damage. One piece of evidence is visible even from outside the ship: one of its anchors is missing, a clear sign that it was lost during the incident.

The police have already identified several members of the crew as suspects in the criminal acts. These include citizens of Georgia and India, who are being investigated for aggravated property destruction and serious violations of sanctions. Furthermore, additional evidence linking the ship to the cable damage has been uncovered, and more is likely to emerge.

The case is undoubtedly a major embarrassment for Vladimir Putin and his administration. For this reason, it was amusing to note Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov's claim that the actions of Finnish authorities have no connection to Russia. His response is reminiscent of a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar—his frustration is, to say the least, palpable.

It remains to be seen how the issue will ultimately be resolved. However, it is already clear that international law and regulations need updating to rein in rogue states like Russia on the high seas. Unfortunately, the interests of a few other countries, in addition to Russia, are likely to block such progress, making meaningful change highly improbable.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The Downing of the Azerbaijani Plane Is a War Crime That Must Be Condemned
Western Nations Should Act Decisively On Two Fronts Against Russia
Western Countries Must Stay United Against the Russian Threat

Anecdotes and Jokes About Vladimir Putin

Today, a few anecdotes and jokes about the beloved leader of our neighboring country came to mind. Since they are fresh in my memory, I decided to share them with you, my dear readers. So, here you go!

* * *

A high-ranking officer who fought in Vladimir Putin's army led his unit so effectively that the Ukrainians were forced to retreat several kilometers. Naturally, the president was pleased and invited the officer to the Kremlin.

There, he told the hero that he could ask for anything as a reward for his actions. The man replied, "I don’t want anything. I just ask that you don’t mention this to my friends."

* * *

God was angry about the hostility humans held toward each other and decided to destroy all of creation. After some thought, however, He chose to give humanity one last chance to see if there was still kindness, goodness, and love within them.

So, He appeared to a Frenchman and told him of His plan to destroy humanity the next day. He also asked what the man intended to do before then. The man replied that he would get some fine wine and prepare a delicious meal to enjoy with his wife, and then make love to her.

God was pleased and decided to also appear to a Finnish man and share His plans. The Finnish man thought for a moment and said he would first go to the sauna with his wife, enjoy some good beer and sausages afterward, and then make love to her.

God began to doubt the idea of destruction but decided to also ask Vladimir Putin what he planned to do before the end of the world. Putin thought for a moment and declared that he would immediately order his army to invade Georgia so that Russia could conquer it before the apocalypse.

* * *

Vladimir Putin believes he has made himself indispensable to Russians and the world. Because of this, he has been deeply concerned about what would happen to the world, Russia, and his wealth if he were to die.

One day, he summoned his trusted lawyer and expressed his concerns. The lawyer opened his laptop and asked the president to dictate his will. Putin began: “If I ever die…”

* * *

In early September, President Vladimir Putin set a goal for the Russian forces: the expulsion of Ukrainians from Russian soil by the beginning of October.

However, it is now early December, and Ukrainians are still holding large areas in the Russian Kursk region. Clearly, the goal Putin set in September has not been achieved. His position is, therefore, reminiscent of his role model Joseph Stalin, who in 1939 issued a guide for Soviet soldiers on how to reach Helsinki in two weeks — only to fail completely in capturing the city.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Did You Know That 1952 Was a Turning Point in World Eras?
Putin Set a Goal — Failure Would Be an Embarrassment
Tractor course for Ukrainians

Elections in Georgia and Japan: The Future of Democracy on Different Paths

In Georgia, it is very likely that the elections were rigged. At the same time, the country's attempts to distance itself from Russia seem to be coming to an end—unless a popular uprising or some other unexpected event occurs in the future.

Another set of elections is also underway, where power may change hands. This time it's Japan, and there is no doubt that the election results can be trusted—not even by the politicians who lose the election.

There are two major differences between Georgia and Japan. First, their political positions are entirely different. Japan has been a stable democracy supported by the United States since the end of World War II. Georgia, on the other hand, has experienced at least a tumultuous path since its liberation from the Soviet Union, colored by Russia's presence.

However, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, for example, also freed themselves from Soviet rule in the early 1990s, and a significant portion of their populations are Russian. In these countries, the native populations—Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians—quickly took control of the state apparatus and shut down Russian attempts to influence.

Even the Russian minorities in these countries no longer wish to be under Russia's control—although they may not fully adapt to the majority ways of life in their own countries either. In any case, all three countries share a strong consensus among their citizens that Russia will not be allowed to interfere in their affairs.

For this reason, it is important to note that all the Baltic states, after gaining their independence, integrated as quickly as possible both economically and militarily with Western nations. Accordingly, they shaped their societies to meet the standards required for such integration.

This has not been the case in Georgia, where a large portion of the population wishes to keep the country within Russia's sphere of influence. Even by conservative estimates, around 40% of the population supports this view. 

As a result, Georgia's future does not seem very promising. At best, the country appears to be on a path that will lead to the loss of its true freedom and its transformation into a Russian vassal state, much like Belarus.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Estonia is Arming its Military, but Does the Nation Have the Will to Defend Itself?
Putin´s Russia got mad about the Finnish chairman of the Parliament
Daniel Freund demanded a ban to Viktor Orbán