Russian clandestine operation against submarine cables in the Arctic foiled

The clandestine operation - according to Reuters sources - was conducted by the Gugi, the Russian directorate for submarine warfare. Submersibles suitable for deep sea navigation were used to simulate the use of this mysterious technology. However, a team made up of the United Kingdom, Norway and the United States intercepted the Russian vessels at sea: the ships were prevented from completing the exercise and therefore left the area.

In April the United Kingdom and Norway announced that they had foiled a Russian undercover operation in the Arctic Sea, but without making known either the use of a new weapon or the involvement of the United States. In any case, the two countries - again according to what Reuters reconstructed - turned to Moscow to inform it that they were aware of their secret weapon, in the hope of stopping Russia from using it. In any case, no cables were damaged during the exercise: however, NATO has not disclosed how this technology works.

When asked by the British agency to comment on what happened, Norwegian Defense Minister Tore Sandvik replied: "With our operation, we have sent a clear message to Russia: they cannot operate covertly. We have made it unequivocally clear to Moscow that any attempt to target our critical infrastructure will be detected and will have consequences." For its part, the Russian authorities did not respond to requests for comment on what happened. In any case, the Kremlin always denies carrying out sabotage operations in NATO member countries.

The disclosure of what happened comes at a time when some Western intelligence seems to fear that the Kremlin is preparing for a conflict with NATO. Some US analysts believe that Russia could test the Alliance's Article 5, and if that were to happen destroying undersea cables could be a key aspect of the plan.

After all, submarine cables represent a crucial asset: resting on the seabed or just below, they are fundamental for the functioning of internet connections and for financial transactions. Their importance for the economy and for war strategy, Reuters reminds us, has already emerged during past conflicts in which they were used to send orders via telephone. And in the specific case of Svalbard, there are two fiber optic cables that connect the archipelago to Norway: 1400 kilometers long and laid at a depth of 2700 metres, they transport an enormous amount of data from the satellite station on Svalbard, the largest in the world.

In the event of an escalation between Russia and NATO, according to an official consulted by Reuters, the stretch of sea between Svalbard and Norway - known as the Bear Gap - would immediately be the center of attention. In fact, to reach the Atlantic, the Russian nuclear submarines based on the Kola Peninsula would have to pass through there. And a few days ago the United Kingdom, Norway and the United States began an exercise in the area to demonstrate NATO's military capabilities in that sea area.

In any case, the idea that an open conflict between NATO and Russia is on the way is certainly not shared by everyone. According to Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, for example, Moscow's threat to Europe will likely be increasingly characterized by sabotage, disinformation and airspace violations, rather than conventional military aggression along the lines of the invasion of Ukraine. In his analysis, the minister also cited interference on the GPS signal and, indeed, problems relating to cables in the Baltic Sea among the threats. The minister stressed that Warsaw does not currently foresee Russian aggression against Poland of the same type as that conducted against Ukraine.