Spy Site: Russia Turns Sunken Ferry MS Estonia Into Underwater Surveillance Platform

Russian intelligence services have equipped the site of the MS Estonia ferry disaster in the Baltic Sea for underwater espionage.

Yle reported the news, citing investigations by German outlets Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR), Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR), and Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ).

According to the investigation, Russia is using the wreck site — where diving is prohibited — as a training ground for underwater operations. The remains of the ferry are also believed to house surveillance equipment used in training for covert missions in the Baltic Sea.

Analysts note that the site is strategically positioned: near major shipping routes, within the influence zone of NATO member states, and designated as a “quiet zone,” where civilian diving is banned. Some NATO countries are reportedly aware of the presence of Russian spy equipment there but have not made the information public.

Rumors about a secret Russian underwater base in the area have circulated for years. Swedish broadcaster SVT, together with NDR and other international partners, previously reported under the “Russian Secrets” project that Russia has been building a covert network to monitor NATO countries.

One example of such activity involved incidents of damaged telecommunications cables in the Baltic region. Yle notes that devices attached to a sunken vessel are far more complex to detect than equipment placed directly on the seabed.

According to the media, Western intelligence services also believe similar activities are taking place at the sites of downed aircraft.