Russia Reveals Subsea Cable Weakness Through Tanker Sabotage Tactics

Tallinn: Recently, there have been some concerning incidents involving undersea internet cables. Analysts believe Russia is using old tankers to drag their anchors and damage these cables. It’s a sneaky tactic that gives them plausible deniability, but it’s risky too.

In the Baltic Sea, tankers have been reported dragging their anchors and causing outages. The latest incident happened on Christmas Day when the tanker Eagle S damaged the Estlink 2 power line between Finland and Estonia. European officials suspect Russia is deliberately targeting this vital infrastructure.

They think this is part of a broader campaign to disrupt services. Some of these vessels are linked to a “shadow fleet” that helps Russia evade oil sanctions. The method is pretty low-tech, just old tankers hoping to snag cables on the seabed.

A Finnish official mentioned that the Eagle S was getting ready to target more cables before it was boarded. Other incidents have involved Chinese-flagged vessels, raising concerns about a pattern of behavior in the region.

Analysts say these actions are part of “grey zone” tactics, which are meant to destabilize rivals without crossing the line into outright war. It’s a clever but dangerous game, as it could lead to more significant conflicts if not addressed.

Using commercial ships for sabotage has its perks for Russia, mainly because it allows them to deny involvement. The Eagle S, for example, is owned by a company in the UAE and managed by a firm in Mumbai, making it hard to trace back to Russia.

While some ships are suspected of sabotage, the sheer size of the shadow fleet makes it tough to monitor. This creates a psychological impact, suggesting that Russia could quickly escalate its actions if needed.

However, this strategy isn’t without risks. If Western navies start treating these vessels as hostile, it could limit their movements and effectiveness. Plus, there’s always the chance that the anchors miss the cables entirely.

In response, Sweden is sending naval ships to bolster NATO patrols in the Baltic. There are also discussions about tightening sanctions on these shadow fleet vessels. But with the vastness of the ocean, it’s a challenging task.

Ultimately, Western nations are left with limited options, often just chasing shadows in a vast sea.