Key US senator to call for new efforts to prevent undersea cable sabotage

• At least eight suspected undersea cable sabotage incidents have occurred in the Baltic Sea since 2022, with Russia suspected as the likely perpetrator using both high-end undersea warfare capabilities and low-tech methods that mimic anchor dragging
• In November 2024, two fiber-optic cables were cut, and in 2023 Taiwan accused Chinese vessels of severing the only two cables supporting internet access to the Matsu Islands
• Proposed responses include publicly attributing attacks when possible, improving infrastructure resiliency through international coordination, and FCC measures to bar Chinese technology from cables connecting to the United States

Summary: Senate Committee Addresses Undersea Cable Sabotage Threats

Key Development: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Jim Risch (R-ID) is calling for enhanced international efforts to protect submarine communications cables, which handle 99% of global internet traffic, citing escalating national security threats.

Critical Infrastructure at Risk: A network of more than 400 subsea cables carries virtually all international internet communications. Since 2022, at least eight suspected sabotage incidents have occurred in the Baltic Sea, with Russia identified as the likely perpetrator.

State Actors Implicated:

• Russia has developed advanced undersea warfare capabilities and low-tech methods that mimic anchor dragging to conceal sabotage activities
• China is also suspected of coordinated malicious activity targeting subsea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, Indo-Pacific, and other strategic regions
• Neither Russian nor Chinese embassies in Washington provided immediate comment

Recent Incidents:

• November 2024: Two fiber-optic cables damaged, triggering sabotage investigations
• 2023: Taiwan accused two Chinese vessels of severing both cables supporting internet access to the Matsu Islands
• April 2026: Britain deployed military vessels after Russian submarines spent over a month in British waters

Proposed Actions: Senator Risch advocates for publicly attributing attacks when possible and establishing coordinated international efforts to improve infrastructure resilience. Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr has proposed banning undersea cables with Chinese technology or equipment from connecting to the United States.

Market Implications: Growing geopolitical tensions threaten critical global communications infrastructure, potentially impacting telecommunications companies, cybersecurity firms, and international data flow reliability.