Vladimir Putin threat of 'worldwide blackouts' as NATO issues chilling warning

 

NATO Sounds Alarm on Risk of Global Blackouts from Russian Attacks on Undersea Cables

NATO has issued a stark warning about a growing threat: Russia’s possible sabotage of vital undersea communication cables. According to intelligence, the Kremlin’s so-called “shadow fleet” could deliberately target these cables, risking widespread disruption of global internet and power networks.

Top executives from major telecom giants like Vodafone, Orange, and Telefónica have sent an open letter to the UK government, the European Union, and NATO. They stress that these essential cables remain highly vulnerable and largely unprotected.

“The fallout from damaging subsea cables would reach far beyond Europe,” the letter warns. “Such attacks could paralyze internet connectivity, financial systems, and critical infrastructure across the world.”

The telecom leaders call for urgent and focused security measures: “Protecting subsea cables must become a key priority for safeguarding global infrastructure. Immediate action is essential to secure the networks underpinning our interconnected future.”

Approximately 95% of the world’s data flows through more than 500 undersea cables, many of which have recently been subjected to a string of suspicious incidents.

Global officials have publicly blamed Russia for these attacks, despite Moscow’s denials. Their suspicions are reinforced by sightings of Russia’s commercial “shadow fleet” operating in the affected waters at the time of the sabotage attempts.

Since October 2023, at least 11 attacks have been recorded, primarily in the Baltic Sea, with some in the North Sea. These events have raised fears of a coordinated campaign to disrupt critical communications. Concerns escalated after Russia’s spy ship Yantar was detected mapping underwater infrastructure in the North Sea.

Meanwhile, China is believed to be conducting similar underwater reconnaissance near Taiwan.

In January, UK Defence Secretary John Healey sent a direct warning to President Putin: “We see what you’re doing, and we will not hesitate to take strong measures to defend this country.”

With key offshore UK assets—including pipelines, power cables, and energy facilities—under threat, anxiety is mounting over possible interruptions to vital services like the NHS. In response, the UK Parliament has launched a joint committee inquiry to develop strategies for bolstering underwater infrastructure defenses.

Matt Western, chair of the inquiry, highlighted the gravity of the situation: “As global tensions rise, hostile actors seek asymmetric ways to threaten us. Our undersea cable network is increasingly exposed as a vulnerable weak point.”