Elisabeth Braw

Anchors Away Finland’s failure to convict Russian crew clears the way for more cable-cutting attacks.

Columnist @elisabethbraw.bsky.social explains the verdict of a pivotal trial involving three officers in charge of a shadow tanker that sabotaged undersea cables in the Gulf of Finland last year.

Thank you @stathiosb.bsky.social

Anchors Away Finland’s failure to convict Russian crew clears the way for more cable-cutting attacks.

The Finnish prosecutors in the Eagle S showed gutsiness and innovative thinking in two crucial aspects:

- The matter of jurisdiction

- The matter of the crew's intent to damage the cables

We'll see more of this.

foreignpolicy.com/2025/10/10/f...

Me @foreignpolicy.com

Anchors Away Finland’s failure to convict Russian crew clears the way for more cable-cutting attacks.

The Finnish prosecutors in the Eagle S showed gutsiness and innovative thinking in two crucial aspects:

- The matter of jurisdiction

- The matter of the crew's intent to damage the cables

We'll see more of this.

foreignpolicy.com/2025/10/10/f...

Me @foreignpolicy.com

Ask what your gym can do for your country.

Gen Z-ers are fit - and in a Bowling Alone era, many also join gyms to make friends.

Imagine if we had national resilience organisations they could join. It would be a win-win.

on.ft.com/4hdCLyQ (Me @financialtimes.com. No paywall.)

Russia’s Shadow Fleet Is Doing More Than Sanctions-Busting In the Baltic, Russian-linked vessels are suspected of spying and sabotage.

Russia's shadow fleet is dual-use: many vessels don't just transport sanctioned oil but have other uses too (think surveillance, threatening cables).

One group knows a lot about them: Danish pilots. We should listen to them.

foreignpolicy.com/2025/10/02/r... (Me @foreignpolicy.com)

Helsinki District Court's judgment in the pivotal Eagle S case:

- The court says it lacks jurisdiction
- But it also says the three seafarers perpetrated "aggravated criminal damage".

There are lots of implications. We won't have seen the last suspicious cable/pipeline incident.

Such a book is indeed in its way...

Let's see what else may transpire between now and the publication next year.

It has been published: the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy's report on undersea cables.

It was a privilege to be involved in the inquiry and see some of my suggestions picked up by the committee.

publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt5901/jt...

What Is War? Ask an Underwriter. Correctly defining conflict has high stakes in the insurance industry.

What constitutes an act of war these days?

The people defining this crucial issue are...underwriters.

The trial of Serhii K will be of enormous significance for them - and indeed for everyone.

foreignpolicy.com/2025/09/17/n...

(Me @foreignpolicy.com. Gift link.)

A few days ago, Poland released an "in case of crisis or war" leaflet.

It turned out to be prescient, what with Russian drones crossing into Poland last night.

Microsoft Azure services see major disruption after Red Sea cables cut Azure and other services are experiencing disruptions

Intently watching the Red Sea region for any announcements regarding the cable cuts.

Were the cuts intentional? A massively unfortunate accident?

The world of cables has truly taken turbulent turns since I began writing Undersea War.

www.techradar.com/pro/microsof...

Can TV Help Prepare for Invasion? Taiwan’s “Zero Day Attack” sets an example other threatened states can follow.

Taiwan's new Zero Day Attack television series:

Brilliant entertainment - and the attacks (including sea blockade, disruption of the financial system etc) are very close to reality.

That makes the show educational too.

Lots of countries need a show like this.

foreignpolicy.com/2025/08/29/t...

The UK (and other countries) should do like Sweden, which has just begun teaching national security (total defence, to be precise) in secondary schools.

Investing in defence equipment is good. But teenagers' minds have even more potential.

www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...

Me @thetimes.com

Another cheap Chinese EV is coming to the European market.

Chinese EVs are cheap partly because they use LFP batteries.

We seem doomed to dependence on China.

But: Europe now has its very own LFP factory - in Norway.

www.politico.eu/article/norw...

Me @politico.eu

How much of Gaza is left standing? Analysis by independent researchers reveals the scale of the destruction

“The studies imply estimated [Gaza] life expectancy has fallen by more than 35 years, to ~ half the pre-war figure. In percentage terms…bigger than…during China’s Great Leap Forward; in absolute terms it is similar to the one in the Rwanda genocide” www.economist.com/interactive/...

We may be snickering at the Admiral Kuznetsov's slow demise and expected death.

But she's not that important to the Russian Navy. Submarines are -- and the submarine fleet is growing significantly.

foreignpolicy.com/2025/08/06/r... (Me @foreignpolicy.com. No paywall)

Greyzone aggression has become our daily reality.

Now it emerges that Russia recruited a Colombian to commit arson in Poland.

The Committee's summary is very apt:

War on every doorstep

Great work, @tandhesi.bsky.social and team.

Greyzone aggression:

Years ago, I had trouble convincing people it was worth taking seriously.

Since then, it has exploded (so to speak).

It was a privilege to be involved in the UK Parliament Defence Committee's outstanding inquiry.

publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cm...

New Houthi Tactics Call for New, Non-Western Solutions As Houthi attacks target Indian sailors, the Indian Navy has a chance to step up.

The Houthis are escalating their violence against ships - and seafarers.

Global shipping's defenders need help.

There's a global power that has a large navy and foreign-policy ambitions -- and a lot of seafarers now facing harm.

India.

foreignpolicy.com/2025/07/21/h...

Me @foreignpolicy.com

Without the installers and repairers of subsea cables, modern life would not be possible.

(Imagine if cables were cut and no repair crews were available.)

But the workforce is ageing. Let's hope lots of people discover this crucial profession.

www.thetimes.com/comment/colu... (Me @thetimes.com)

It's very much worth noticing!

And where else do people ranging from young children to tech types, ambassadors and pensioners team up to sing and dance together?

Estonia is valuable indeed.

"The Song and Dance Festival demonstrates our societal resilience,” @tsahkna.bsky.social told me.

Naturally, the Estonian FM was involved (as a singer). Doctors, nurses, tech types, teenagers, pensioners too.

This is societal resilience. (And joy)

www.politico.eu/article/esto... (Me @politico.eu)

Financial institutions should prepare for subsea cable sabotage Attacks on the infrastructure that moves money could be a bigger threat than cyber hacks

If a string of undersea cables were to malfunction, global financial hubs could be shaken.

The finance sector should demonstrate preparedness for cable blackouts.

Especially since it transmits appr. $10 trillion through subsea cables every day.

on.ft.com/4nLpvUQ (Me @financialtimes.com)

It's good for you (and your health).

It's good for the country (as the Estonians just illustrated, again, with their massive Song and Dance Festival).

Do a good thing for yourself and the country: join a choir.

www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...

Me @thetimes.com

@mfaestonia.bsky.social

'War on every doorstep.'

The UK Defence Select Committee's inquiry and report on greyzone aggression is out publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cm....

It was an honour to be involved.

Three men found guilty of arson attack for Wagner Group Around £1m worth of damage was caused in the arson attack on an industrial unit in Leyton, east London last year.

Russia's use of freelance agents to commit greyzone act right in our midst is frightening and sinister - and it's growing.

The three men who set fire to a warehouse in east London last year acted on behalf of the Wagner Group.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Estonians know how to do it.

The Song and Dance Festival is taking place with superior planning, superior artistry, superior logistics and enormous joy.

Germany launches additional measures against Russia's 'shadow fleet' Germany has pledged additional measures to further counter Russia's so-called shadow fleet operating in the Baltic and North Sea, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday in a statement.

Regarding the news that Germany will inspect suspected shadow vessels' insurance certificates (www.reuters.com/world/german...): inspecting is better than not inspecting, but the certificates may turn out to be worthless www.politico.eu/article/chec....