The Russian Federation has created a secret unit for attacks on the world’s underwater infrastructure, – CNN

It is noted that the US will consider any sabotage of underwater infrastructure as an escalation of Russian aggression.

The US has detected increased Russian activity in the area of key submarine cables. Washington believes that now Moscow can carry out sabotage operations aimed at disabling the most important part of the world’s communication infrastructure.

CNN writes that Russia is paying more and more attention to the creation of a special military unit that deploys a significant fleet of surface ships, submarines and naval drones – this unit is the “Main Directorate of Deep Sea Research of the General Staff” (GUD).

“We are concerned about Russia’s increased naval activity around the world and that Russia’s calculations of harming critical underwater infrastructure of the US and its allies may change,” the US official said. “Russia continues to develop a naval capability for underwater sabotage, mostly with the help of the GUGD, a unit that is closely guarded and operates surface ships, submarines and naval drones.”

It is noted that the US regularly monitors Russian ships that patrol near the most important objects of maritime infrastructure and submarine cables, which are often located far from Russian shores.

Submarine cables are the most important backbone of Internet and telecommunications traffic around the world. Most of the communications are carried by a large network of high-speed fiber optic cables laid on the ocean floor. A coordinated attack could significantly disrupt private, government, and military communications over such cables, as well as the operations of industries dependent on these communications, including financial markets and energy suppliers.

Undersea cables also transmit huge amounts of electricity between several European countries.

The US and its allies are closely monitoring Russian naval activity over key submarine cables around the world. Commanders of a NATO patrol ship said in April 2023 that they had observed an increase in activity over submarine cables in the Baltic Sea in recent years.

The seas around Northern Europe are the object of observation and activity of the Russian military. Last year, a joint investigation by the public broadcasters of Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland revealed a fleet of suspected spy ships operating in northern European waters capable of sabotaging submarine cables and wind farms.

Broadcasters have been tracking about 50 ships operating in the area for several years, using underwater surveillance to map out potential attack sites.

An American official said that the US would consider any sabotage of underwater infrastructure as a significant escalation of Russian aggression outside of Ukraine.

(C)UNIAN 2024