HELSINKI, Jan 2, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A vessel seized in Finland suspected of damaging a telecommunications cable between Helsinki and Tallinn was transporting Russian steel targeted by European Union sanctions, Finnish Customs said on Thursday. "Preliminary information indicated that the cargo consisted of steel products originating in Russia, which are subject to extensive sanctions imposed on Russia," Finnish Customs said in a statement. "According to the assessment of experts at Finnish Customs, the structural steel in question falls under the EU's sectoral sanctions," it said. "Import of such sanctioned goods into the EU is prohibited under EU sanctions regulations." Finnish Customs said it was still investigating "the applicability of EU sanctions legislation to this case."

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha January 02, 2026 09:53 UTC