NATO allies foil Russian operation preparing sabotage against subsea cables

In early spring, Russia conducted a simulated operation to sabotage undersea communication cables near Norway's Svalbard islands, according to Western officials cited by Reuters. This comes amid a broader Russian campaign of covert actions against European nations, including cyberattacks and espionage against critical infrastructure.

The exercise involved the use of deep-sea submersibles to mimic the deployment of equipment designed to disable undersea cables. British, Norwegian, and US forces monitored the Russian vessels and thwarted their attempt to complete the mission, preventing any damage to the cables. The cables, 1,400 kilometers long, transmit satellite data from SvalSat, a major NASA ground station.

Britain and Norway had previously reported covert Russian activities in Arctic waters, but the specifics of this particular operation were not disclosed until now. Norwegian Defense Minister Tore Sandvik emphasized that this operation would be detected and met with consequences. Both the US and UK have sanctioned Russia's GUGI department due to its activities in European waters.

Concerns about Russian aggression towards European undersea infrastructure have grown since 2023, with increased observations of vessels operating near sensitive infrastructure. NATO has ramped up monitoring efforts, such as its Baltic Sentry operation and the UK-led Nordic Warden. Windward data revealed a 52% increase in "drifting" vessels in the North Sea in 2025.

While no cables were damaged during this exercise, it showcased capabilities that could be employed against European infrastructure in a future conflict. Russia's Defense Ministry declined to comment, consistently denying allegations of sabotage in NATO countries.