Reuters: NATO nations thwarted Russian attempt to sabotage undersea cables in the Arctic this spring
Citing Western officials, Reuters reports that Britain, Norway and the United States disrupted a Russian operation near Svalbard this spring in which deep-sea vehicles tested new technology to covertly damage undersea cables. The incident points to continued attempts to threaten Western undersea infrastructure.
According to the news agency Reuters, citing two Western officials, Britain, Norway and the United States jointly foiled a Russian operation in the Svalbard area of the Arctic this spring.
What happened
According to the reported information, Russia used deep-sea vehicles during the operation to test new technology intended to covertly damage undersea cables. The three countries detected and disrupted the operation before it could achieve its goal.
Context
Undersea cables are critical infrastructure carrying the majority of international internet and communications traffic between countries. In recent years, Western nations have repeatedly voiced concern over potential threats to this infrastructure, particularly in the Baltic Sea and Arctic regions, both areas of heightened military and economic activity.
The newly reported incident suggests such attempts are continuing further afield from the Baltic Sea as well — in the Arctic near Svalbard, a strategically significant territory with a special international status.
No additional official comment on the incident has been made public so far, and the report is based on information provided to Reuters by anonymous Western officials.
