The Russian research vessel of the Baltic Fleet, Mikhail Kazansky, violated Finnish territorial waters near Hapasaari in late July, 2024.

This was reported by the Finnish Border Guard.

Militarny reported on this fact on July 27, but the details of the incident became known only now.

A preliminary investigation found that the Mikhail Kazansky was heading from Suursaari to Vyborg and for an unknown reason, entered Finnish territorial waters near the maritime border buoy 16, east of Hapasaaristo.

The vessel crossed the entire maritime boundary buoy on the Finnish side, entering Finnish territorial waters from international waters at 12:31 and leaving Russian territorial waters at 12:38.

The total distance traveled from the Finnish side was 1.2 nautical miles (about 2.2 kilometers).

The Finnish Coast Guard followed the course of the Kazansky, noticing that it was heading for the territorial sea.

When the vessel approached the territorial sea and its course remained unchanged, several attempts were made to contact it by radio.

The vessel never responded or otherwise reacted to the communication.

The vessel was then intercepted by a nearby Coast Guard patrol boat.

The patrol boat directed the vessel away from Finnish territorial waters using its own positioning and the crew’s sign language.

Finnish border guards emphasize that the maritime border buoy that the Russian vessel crossed from the Finnish side was clearly visible both to the naked eye and with the help of radar.

“According to the results of the preliminary investigation, the activities of the Kazansky did not constitute peaceful transit within the meaning of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (49-50/1996 series of treaties), and there is no other acceptable reason for the activities within the meaning of section 5 of the Regional Control Act. No maritime necessity or maritime security-related justification has been established for the use of Finnish territorial waters,” the Finnish border guards said.