NATO allies foil Russian operation preparing sabotage against subsea cables

Filed 43m ago · Via NV · The Buffoon Desk

THIS STORY IS SCORED

Scheming Weasel faster

Kevin MacLeod · incompetech.com · CC BY 4.0

Photo: Diplomatic Security Service from Washington, D.C., United St · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons

Western officials told Reuters that NATO allies detected and disrupted Russian naval exercises this spring testing technology meant to damage subsea cables near Svalbard. The operation was reportedly run by Russia's deep-sea research directorate, GUGI, and tracked by British, Norwegian and U.S. forces who confronted the vessels at sea, forcing them to abandon the drill.

Britain and Norway had flagged GUGI activity back in April without disclosing the technology, location, or U.S. involvement, details that only surfaced now. The cables in question carry satellite data across roughly 870 miles of seabed at depths near 2,700 meters, infrastructure officials describe as critical to global data and financial systems.

Norway's defense minister said the operation was meant to show Russia it cannot operate undetected in the region, a message paired with warnings from Polish and American officials about broader hybrid threats to NATO's eastern flank.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.

✒ FROM THE EDITORIAL DESK

You can tell a lot about a standoff by who releases the footage after it's over. Everybody involved gets to sound tough once the ship has already sailed home, and nobody has to explain what happens next time the equipment works. Consider it the maritime version of a scarecrow that only works once the crow's already flown off.

Source: Read the original at NV → Scored: Scheming Weasel faster · Kevin MacLeod · CC BY 4.0

Read it scored.

Every story, every clown, every kazoo — in your pocket. Music plays automatically. Regret is optional.

GET IT ON iOS GET IT ON ANDROID