UK and Norway foil Russian submarine plot to survey undersea cables in north Atlantic

Key Points:

• The UK and Norwegian militaries conducted a month-long operation in the North Atlantic to monitor and deter Russian submarines suspected of targeting undersea infrastructure, leading to the Russian vessels' departure.
• British Defence Secretary John Healey warned Russia against damaging undersea cables and pipelines, emphasizing that such actions would have serious consequences and reaffirming that Russia remains the main threat to the UK despite global focus on the Middle East.
• The UK and Norway have launched joint naval patrols with at least 13 warships to protect critical infrastructure and hunt Russian submarines, following a £10 billion deal for Norway to acquire British-made frigates.
• Russia is reported to have increased naval activity near UK waters by 30% over two years and operates a covert "Undersea Research Programme" involving paramilitary efforts to map and potentially sabotage Western undersea cables and pipelines.
• NATO highlights a significant rise in cyber and hybrid threats targeting European undersea cables, with recent sabotage incidents in the Baltic Sea raising alarms about Russia's ongoing interference in Western infrastructure.