Russian naval vessel allegedly violates Finnish territorial waters near Haapasaaristo

On July 26, a Russian naval vessel allegedly violated Finnish territorial waters, according to a statement from the Border Guard. The Russian Baltic Fleet’s research vessel, Mikhail Kazansky, was reported to have traversed Finnish waters for seven minutes, covering a distance of just over two kilometers near the coastal area of Haapasaaristo, located south of Finland.

The captain of the vessel is under investigation for the territorial violation, with Finnish authorities working to establish his identity. Russian officials have communicated to the Border Guard that the vessel experienced technical difficulties and have expressed regret for crossing the maritime boundary. However, further details regarding the incident remain unspecified, and communications between the Border Guard and Russian officials are ongoing.

The investigation has not revealed any activities beyond navigation by the vessel within Finnish waters. A Border Guard patrol vessel directed the Russian ship out of Finnish territory through positioning and crew gestures.

On the same day, significant GPS interference was reported by the Finnish Gulf Border Guard and several civilian vessels in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland. The possibility that this interference affected the navigation of the Russian vessel has not been ruled out. The Mikhail Kazansky, an unarmed research vessel operated by the Russian Baltic Fleet’s hydrographic office, is typically used for seabed studies and various underwater operations.

As the vessel was en route to Vyborg, the reasons for its deviation into Finnish waters remain unknown. Preliminary investigations indicate that the vessel’s activities did not comply with the provisions for innocent passage as stipulated by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and no acceptable justification for the territorial violation has been identified.