UK Reveals Operation That Tracked Russian Subs Near Atlantic Cables

Overview

• The UK government disclosed Thursday it had mobilized forces earlier this year to track Russian submarines near transatlantic cable routes.
• Defence Secretary John Healey said an Akula-class attack boat and two GUGI deep-sea units were detected and shadowed for weeks.
• Officials reported the submarines stayed in or near UK waters for about a month before heading north, and inspections found no damage to cables or pipelines.
• Britain worked with Norway to share intelligence and boost naval and air patrols, which Healey said was meant to deter any interference.
• Seabed cables carry most internet and financial traffic between Europe and North America, so threats to them risk outages that could disrupt daily communications and trade.