Russia may have conducted reconnaissance using debris from the Estonia ferry, which sank 30 years ago – media

Russia may use the Estonia ferry, which sank more than 30 years ago in the Baltic Sea, to act against NATO. This is stated in a joint investigation german TV channels WDR and NDR and the newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung.

The ferry accident was the largest shipping disaster in Europe since World War II. "The Estonia sank in one hour during a major storm, killing 852 people out of the 989 passengers and crew on board. 757 people are still missing.

The wreckage of the ferry lies at a depth of 80 meters, 50 kilometers from the Finnish island of Utö. In 1995, Sweden, Estonia, and Finland signed an agreement prohibiting diving at the crash site. However, according to the investigation, several NATO countries have information that the Russian military violated the ban and dived to the Estonia.

It is likely that several years ago, technical devices that allow for high-precision navigation of underwater drones and robots were attached to the wreckage of the ferry. Most likely, these are underwater navigation beacons and sensors used to orient underwater vehicles, drones, and research systems at depths where GPS does not work.

Russia could also install sensors there to monitor the movement of ships and submarines or to record ship propeller noise and other signs of the presence of NATO warships and submarines.

In addition, the Russian military was practicing underwater operations in the area of the ferry accident, German media sources said.

This activity is likely to be carried out by the Main Directorate of Deep Sea Research (GUGD) of the Russian Defense Ministry, a top-secret unit subordinated directly to the Minister of Defense.

According to Western intelligence estimates, the GUGD has a fleet of vessels that are presented as research vessels but actually perform espionage tasks: mapping underwater cables and pipelines, installing sensors, and preparing sabotage against critical infrastructure. This includes, in particular, oceanographic northern Fleet research vessel Yantar.

Some of the equipment used by the Russians for operations in the area of the sunken ferry was purchased through a company in Cyprus, journalists say. The amount was about $50 million (43 million euros).

Some of the equipment was used to create a comprehensive surveillance system in the Arctic called Harmony. This underwater sensor system is installed in the Barents Sea to protect Russia's nuclear weapons arsenal.

Russian sensor systems are likely to be operating in the Baltic Sea as well. In early 2024, Lithuania reported that a Russian-made hydroacoustic sonar had been found on the Curonian Spit.

Finland and Estonia did not confirm the conclusions of WDR, NDR and SZ regarding the Estonia ferry.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia stated the Finnish Border Guard Service said that it is closely monitoring the situation in the Baltic Sea together with its allies. The Finnish Border Guard Service said that for operational reasons it would not disclose details of possible surveillance measures.

A German Defense Ministry spokesperson said that the agency is monitoring underwater activities that "could be directed against critical maritime infrastructure or serve espionage purposes." No details were given, as this "would allow us to draw conclusions about our capabilities in the field of reconnaissance, detection and recording in the underwater environment."

NATO has not commented on the media publication. The Russian side also did not respond to the media's request.