Russia's shadow fleet threatens undersea internet cables
Telecommunications giants warn that Russia could cause "global internet disruptions" by sabotaging undersea cables. According to the "Daily Mail", these concerns are shared by NATO commanders and security experts.
Major telecommunications companies, including Vodafone, Telefónica, and Orange, warn that the network of over 500 undersea cables, which carry 95% of the world's data, is vulnerable to Russian actions. The companies have appealed to the EU, the UK, and NATO to recognise the cables as critical infrastructure and to increase intelligence cooperation.
An open letter addressed to the EU, NATO, and the UK emphasized that harm to undersea cables would have global repercussions, impacting not only Europe but also the worldwide internet and energy systems, international communications, financial operations, and critical services. The letter stressed that safeguarding these cables should be a cornerstone of broader efforts to protect infrastructure, arguing that taking action now is essential to securing the networks that support our collective future.
Russia attacks underwater infrastructure. "A war is unfolding"
The "Daily Mail" recalls that since 2023, there have been at least 11 cases of cable damage in the Baltic Sea region, as well as similar incidents in the North Sea. The main suspect is the "shadow fleet" – Russian ships under the guise of civilian or research vessels, such as the Yantar ship, which was recently caught mapping British infrastructure. Luxury yachts of Russian oligarchs, equipped with specialised equipment capable of cable sabotage from the depths, are also involved.
The UK and NATO are taking steps – in January, a fleet of 10 ships was sent to the Baltic, and the government in London included the protection of underwater infrastructure in the latest strategic review. Finland and Sweden are also investigating cases of cable damage (e.g., C-Lion1, Estlink 2) that may have resulted from sabotage.
Former Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood warned that the UK "lags behind" in tracking Russia's deep-sea operations. He called for a significant expansion of the UK's maritime surveillance capabilities following reports of Russian spy equipment being intercepted in national waters. "We must realise that there is a gap between our resilience and the threat we face," he said.
A senior military commander, cited by the Daily Mail, described the situation in the Atlantic as an undeniable state of war — a prolonged game of cat and mouse that has persisted since the Cold War era and is now intensifying, with an extraordinary surge in Russian operations.
Identifying Russia's targets
According to the British newspaper, among the most important and potentially threatened undersea pipelines is the 1,127-kilometre Langeled gas pipeline from Norway, which accounts for one-fifth of the UK's gas supply.
Another potential target is the Viking Link - an undersea cable from the UK to Denmark, which has a capacity of 1.4 GW and is the longest subsea energy interconnector in the world.
Experts warn that Russia's actions are cheap, difficult to detect, and could paralyse national energy and communication systems. They urge citizens to prepare emergency kits in the event of power and internet outages. As we recently wrote, security experts suggested that UK households be prepared to survive for at least three days.
It is recommended to create a survival kit including: water, long-lasting food, medicine, a battery-operated radio, torch, identification documents, and a pocketknife.
