STOCKHOLM, October 24. /TASS/. Finnish police will focus on China’s Newnew Polar Bear vessel during the investigation of the Balticconnector gas pipeline incident, Director of the National Bureau of Investigation of Finland Robin Lardot said on the air with the Yle television channel.

Many vessels were studied as part of the investigation, Lardot noted. "The object of investigation is the Newnew Polar Bear," he said.

"We will not speculate," Lardot noted, answering the question concerning the potential involvement of Russia in the incident. "A Russian vessel is not viewed as the main direction in investigation," section head of the Bureau Risto Lohi added.

A metal object from the Baltic Sea was recovered near the damaged gas pipeline. "This morning we removed an object from the scene of the incident. It looks like an anchor," Lohi noted. A part of the anchor is missing.

The operation of the subsea gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia was suspended due to a suspected leak. Finnish authorities said at a press conference on October 10 that the damage to the gas pipeline, discovered early on the morning of October 9, was likely the result of external interference. Spokesman of the National Bureau of Investigation Timo Kilpelainen said that the damage site was located in Finland's economic zone, in the central part of the Gulf of Finland.