NATO countries have thwarted a Russian plan to sabotage submarine cables, Reuters reported, citing its own sources.
According to them, this spring - off the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Ocean - NATO countries detected Russian submarines that were conducting exercises using a weapon designed to disable critically important submarine cables without leaving a trace.
The Russian operation was carried out by the Russian Main Directorate for Deep-Sea Exploration (GUGI), a structure responsible for underwater warfare; Deep-sea vehicles were used to simulate the deployment of this complex and destructive technology.
In a joint operation, the UK, Norway and the US tracked the Russian vessels, preventing Russia from completing its exercises and eventually causing the vessels to leave the area.
In April, the UK and Norway announced that they had uncovered a covert Russian operation in Arctic waters. However, the discovery of the new weapon, the location of the operation and the involvement of the United States have not been reported so far.
According to three American officials, some US intelligence analysts are expressing growing concerns that Russia could test NATO's collective defense pact, known as Article 5. If that happens, the destruction of undersea cables could be a key element of such action.
The cables, which are laid on or just below the seabed, are crucial for global internet connectivity and financial transactions. Their economic and strategic importance has made them targets in previous conflicts, including during World Wars I and II, when they were vital for transmitting orders by telegraph or telephone.
Two 1,400-kilometer-long undersea fiber-optic cables connecting the Svalbard archipelago to mainland Norway are laid at depths of up to 2,700 meters below sea level. They carry vast amounts of satellite data received by the SvalSat ground station, the world's largest and part of NASA's Near Space Network.
Some Western officials say Moscow's actions targeting European countries have intensified in recent months as the front line in Ukraine has become largely static.
Countries such as Poland, Lithuania and Romania have confirmed various violations. The Russian drone at Leipzig-Halle Airport in Germany triggered a series of retaliatory measures from Germany, including the closure of the Russian consulate in Bonn and the cultural center in Berlin.