NATO allies foil Russian subsea cable sabotage plot
Russian subs were caught in spring training in Arctic waters to unleash a secret weapon designed to clandestinely disable undersea cables.
A Finnish Border Guard helicopter and Coast Guard patrol ship seize the Fitburg vessel suspected of a subsea cable breach in the Gulf of Finland on Dec. 31, 2025. Some Western intelligence officials fear Russia is ramping up sabotage operations in Europe by targeting subsea cables critical to global internet connectivity and financial transactions. | FINNISH POLICE / VIA REUTERS
REUTERS
Sep 10, 2026
LONDON/WASHINGTON – Deep in Arctic waters near the remote Svalbard archipelago in Norway this spring, NATO allies caught Russian subs training to unleash a secret weapon designed to disable critical undersea cables without leaving any fingerprints.
The clandestine Russian operation, described by two Western officials, was carried out by Moscow’s GUGI undersea warfare directorate, which used deep-sea submersibles to simulate the deployment of the sophisticated and destructive technology.
A joint operation involving Britain, Norway and the United States tracked and confronted the Russian vessels at sea, said the two officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The vessels were prevented from completing their exercise and eventually left the area.
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