Finland filed criminal charges against the top officers of a Baltic oil tanker Monday in connection with severe damage done to undersea cables in December, one of a string of energy and telecom ruptures in the region that many European officials suspected were part of a sabotage campaign directed by Moscow.

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.

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