Finnish authorities say they have charged the captain and two senior officers of a Russia-linked vessel that damaged undersea cables last year between Finland and Estonia.

Finland's national prosecutor's office said on Monday it had brought charges against the captain and first and second officers of the Eagle S oil tanker over the cutting of undersea cables in the Gulf of Finland in December.

On Monday, Finland’s National Prosecution Authority said in a statement that the ship’s captain, as well as the first and second officers, had been charged with “aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with communications” in relation to the episode.