Europe’s undersea infrastructure at risk from Russian espionage

Russia may be planning to sabotage Europe's undersea infrastructure, which is crucial for internet, energy, and military communications. Western allies are growing increasingly concerned about Moscow's espionage activities involving special ships that monitor cables.

This was reported by the Financial Times.

 Russia's undersea espionage operations

According to a newspaper report, the Russian spy ship Yantar, carried out a mission in November 2024 to map and possibly intercept submarine cables. These cables are crucial for the internet, military communications, energy, and financial operations of NATO countries. The ship traveled along the Norwegian coast, through the English Channel and the Irish Sea, and on to the Mediterranean Sea and the Suez Canal.

"Yantar is the tool Russia is using to somehow keep us awake. She's following cable lines and pipelines, making stops. We are monitoring her very closely," said a senior NATO commander.

The article notes that the vessel is operated by the General Directorate of Deep Sea Research (GUGI), a group that was sanctioned by the UK government this summer. According to Western officials, this organization is capable of carrying out a wide variety of covert operations, including sabotage, in the "gray zone" between peace and war.

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