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Europe on Alert Over Suspected Sabotage of Undersea Cables (theguardian.com) 162

Posted by msmash from the growing-trend dept.
European nations have heightened security after a series of suspected sabotage attacks on submarine infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, with officials increasingly pointing to Russia as the likely culprit.

Finnish authorities detained the tanker Eagle S in December after it allegedly damaged three undersea fiber-optic connections with Estonia and one with Germany. The vessel, carrying Russian oil as part of a "shadow fleet" evading sanctions, made suspicious course changes while crossing cable routes.

In November, two more submarine cables in the Baltic were damaged, with investigations focusing on Chinese-owned cargo ship Yi Peng 3, which reduced speed near the cables and turned off its transponder. NATO launched Baltic Sentry in January to enhance surveillance, deploying ships and naval drones off Estonia's coast. The alliance also established a coordination cell following the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage.

Russia has denied involvement, accusing NATO of using "myths" to increase its Baltic presence.
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Europe on Alert Over Suspected Sabotage of Undersea Cables More

Europe on Alert Over Suspected Sabotage of Undersea Cables

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  • Trump is controlled by Russia (Score:5, Insightful)

    by greytree ( 7124971 ) on Wednesday March 05, 2025 @06:35PM (#65213527)
    Trump is controlled by Russia
    I would love to be wrong, but nothing else explains his actions since becoming president.

    Even Musk's right-leaning AI, Grok, agrees: https://x.com/jeffreymlevy/status/1897013490067685745

    Is there nothing America can now do to save itself from total Russian control ?

    • Re:Trump is controlled by Russia (Score:4, Interesting)

      by gweihir ( 88907 ) on Wednesday March 05, 2025 @07:40PM (#65213629)

      I agree that it is looking more and more likely. What boggles the mind is how the Republican party goes along with this. Isn't Russia supposed to be evil central?

      • Re:Trump is controlled by Russia (Score:5, Insightful)

        by ArchieBunker ( 132337 ) on Wednesday March 05, 2025 @08:20PM (#65213691)

        Isn't Russia supposed to be evil central?

        They like power more than they hate Russia.

      • No, it is just clear to them that Trump is not controlled by Russia. To most people in fact. You're presenting a view based upon false claims perpetrated by the Clinton campaign.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by gweihir ( 88907 )

          Well, at least we know where the egg-crisis comes from: all that egg is on Republican faces.

      • I agree that it is looking more and more likely. What boggles the mind is how the Republican party goes along with this. Isn't Russia supposed to be evil central?

        "Evil central" is anyone who opposes the Republican party. I think the quote "It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it" applies here.

        That said, I am still utterly gobsmacked by Graham's and Rubio's abrupt about-face moves. They both hailed Zelenskyy as a hero, then within days - or possibly even hours - were condemning his "disrespect" for Trump and saying that he should step down from Ukraine's presidency. Those were disgusting and literall

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by gweihir ( 88907 )

          That said, I am still utterly gobsmacked by Graham's and Rubio's abrupt about-face moves. They both hailed Zelenskyy as a hero, then within days - or possibly even hours - were condemning his "disrespect" for Trump and saying that he should step down from Ukraine's presidency. Those were disgusting and literally sickening spectacles to watch.

          These are people of exceptionally low quality: No honor, no integrity, no decency, no moral compass. But people like that seem to be doing well in the GoP these days.

          It's easy to excuse those performances by saying that most of the Republican party is morally bankrupt, and maybe that's true. But outside of Crockett, AOC, and a handful of others, most of the Democrats seem timid and directionless. Hell, it seems that some may have castrated themselves. So maybe the moral rot has now infected the majority of America's would-be leaders on both sides.

          The thing is, the US Republicans and Democrats are not that different. From a European perspective, they are an extremist conservative party and a strongly conservative party. Hence they suffer from the same problems, one just a bit stronger than the other. And the extremist one has now selected itself an extremist leader, which never goes well

    • I do not think he is controlled by Russia. He just looks up to Putin. "Daddy, is that you?"

    • It's not.

      It's just USA government doesn't care about anything it's not their own interests.

      In this case, Europe.

      That's my hypothesis. Europe was key in the geopolitical war after WWII because it represented an important source of manufacture, world power and a counterweight against URSS. It's also the gate to Middle East and some African resources.

      Now the world has changed. In the future, oil and fossil fuels will loose their power slowly. Middle East will loose their main source of income, so it will radic

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by necro81 ( 917438 )

        These people knows who's the real challenger in next decades over the world hegemony. China.

        It's tough to be a counterweight to China, or thwart their hegemonic strategy, without allies. If you fuck over all your friends, don't be surprised if they don't help you when a bigger bully comes along.

    • Is there nothing America can now do to save itself from total Russian control ?

      The bigger question now: Is there nothing the rest of us can now do to save the world from WWIII? That's the question that's keeping me up at night.

      EU leaders are meeting with Zelenskyy; Starmer isn't present, because of Brexit, and that puts a big hole in the region's organizational unity in the face of Eastern aggression. Ukraine is taking it on the chin even harder now, because Comrade Trumpsky has pulled the plug on the military intelligence that was giving Ukrainians warning of incoming attacks from Ru

  • Cut their cables

    • Have their ships experience unexplained explosions in their engines.

      • Re: Thats easy (Score:4, Interesting)

        by frdmfghtr ( 603968 ) on Wednesday March 05, 2025 @08:44PM (#65213711)

        Or explained explosions caused by anti-ship missiles and/or torpedoes.

        Make it very clear to the ship crews: screw around with the cables and it will be the last thing you ever do.

        • Europe seems like a bunch of stingy bureaucratic wimps. Define turning off transponders or cutting cables as an act of war. Sink the ships. Hold your ground and hold to your own principles and words. USA needs to be saved now and can't save Europe again this century. Russia has proven that its military is basically useless, even against a weak state. It's time to go on the offensive but Europe can't even defend itself.
          • Russia's infantry and cavalry may be near useless, but their force projection capabilities via SRBMs seems quite on point, judging from the pictures of hollowed out buildings in Kyiv.

            Europe wants nothing to do with that. Not that they couldn't weather it, mind you, it's a cost I just don't see them paying at this point in their history.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by eagl ( 86459 )

          Really, sink a completely full oil tanker? Who's gonna clean that up?

          Board and confiscate, yea that might work if anyone has the courage to try it. Sink? Um. Nope. Too much environmental damage doing it that way.

      • Or just seize them and charge the crews with sabotage.

  • China (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Tailhook ( 98486 ) on Wednesday March 05, 2025 @06:49PM (#65213547)

    I recall they released the Yi Peng 3 almost immediately after their perfunctory "investigation."

    Maybe Europe needs to stop being a cuck player in the world. Don't like Russians and Chinese fucking with your cables and your neighbors? Arm up. The days of lounging in the NATO hammock and feathering your nest have ended. And yes, that does mean that cheering for US rivals isn't going to be as fun as it has been: no more being the perpetual nice guys while those cowboys in 'murica keep everything between the lines.

    • Re:China (Score:5, Insightful)

      by caseih ( 160668 ) on Wednesday March 05, 2025 @07:05PM (#65213567)

      Wow what a bleak, dystopian future you are proposing. It's almost like you forgot why it was that the US was so involved in the world in the first place. Hint, it made you into the most powerful, peaceful, and productive nation in the world. US leaders knew that investing in other nations paid back in spades by building a world where peace led to prosperity here at home. The rising tide lifts all boats. Sinking all the boats along with your own doesn't seem to have a good effect on anyone.

      • It's not without problems but Pax Americana [wikipedia.org] has on the net been a very good thing. For America, for Europe and generally the rest of the world.

        It's looking to be coming to an end so maybe I get proven very wrong or very correct on that, frankly I wasn't quite ready to find out like this.

        • We are also going to find out what a world where everyone has nuclear weapons looks like. We explicitly promised Ukraine that we would support them in exchange for surrendering their nuclear stockpile. Now that we've broken that promise nobody will believe that our 'nuclear umbrella' will protect them.

          Taiwan, Japan and South Korea want nukes to deter China *now*; Taiwan may already have some. Many countries will follow Iran's lead.

          A planet where every government, stable and unstable, has WMDs is going to b

          • That's where Zelenskyy was spot on in saying that any ceasefire or agreement has to have a real guarantee which is something Budapest did not have, there was "Article 5" style clause, it was taken on good faith and look where that's got them.

            And exactly right on Taiwan, why would they expect help from the USA now?

      • If Europe wants to participate in maintaining Pax Americana, they're free to join in. They were badgered by Trump years ago for being too passive when it came to their own defense and in choosing where they purchase their natgas.

      • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

        by Tailhook ( 98486 )

        US leaders knew that investing in other nations paid back in spades

        That lasted from the end of WW2 until about 1970. Everything since then has been at the expense of the US. All the defense spending building a planet scale military, alone. All of the "free trade" crushing our industrial base. All of it.

        And it's finally over. The meal ticket has expired. Enjoy.

    • The days of USA calling the shots in NATO have also ended. Welcome to the new international mutual defense pact, in which USA is welcome to sit in the corner until proving itself worthy to participate.

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by Tailhook ( 98486 )

        I'll believe all this when I see a German stealth fighter or a Spanish flat top carrier. Until then, you're our bitch, and the degree to which we give any shits about your troubles with China and Russia is not your prerogative. That's how the world has always worked, like it or not, and none of your favorite whipping boys are to blame. Sack up or shut up.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by _merlin ( 160982 )

          Always? The US is a fairly recent phenomenon, and unlikely to last as long as e.g. the Roman empire.

          • Your point is completely spot on, but I *am* curious, what makes you think it's unlikely likely to last as long?
            The US isn't an Empire, unless you really, really stretch the meaning of that word. I don't see Canada and Mexico coming in and sacking Washington.

            • Washington is already in the late stages of being sacked by Russia.

              • Washington is already in the late stages of being sacked by Russia.

                Na, I don't see that.
                A successful coup is more or less infeasible.
                Militarily, Washington is defended by the National Guard- troops from all over the US that also swear loyalty to the executive powers and constitutions of their respective State.

                This is an interesting footnote in history, and the US will obviously suffer for it, but the fact is, there's no realistic way a Manchurian Candidate takes control.

                Beyond that, your hyperbolic claim that it has "been sacked" are ridiculous, and just make you loo

        • It was so totally amazing how your stealth fighters kicked into gear and saved the day when your capitol was invaded.

        • How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child.

      • LOL-

        Like, totally, dude. [wikipedia.org]
        There's a reason the current Secretary-General of NATO, Mark Rutte, a Dutchman, told Zelenskyy that he had to "find a way to restore his relationship with the American president".

        Your America-hate is cute, but let's be realistic- we are your shield, and no matter what your internet keyboard warriors say, your politicians and military officials know what's up.
      • So long as the US is the largest military power in the alliance that is unlikely to happen.
        • So long as the US is more militarily powerful than the rest of the alliance combined, I agree.
          They could get to a point at least where the non-US plurality of force would be brave enough to splinter.
      • Go for it. You keep acting like Americans will care. We generally don't.
        I don't. Go defend yourself. Spend the money. Build up a military and more ammunition than being able to support a bombing campaign for more than three days. Then the US can sit in its corner, spending our previous defense money on domestic issues, and ramble on about Europe being a bunch of warmongers.

  • Whoopsie! (Score:5, Funny)

    by PPH ( 736903 ) on Wednesday March 05, 2025 @07:12PM (#65213575)

    We appear to have snagged something with our anchor. Shame if it was your fiber optic line.

    Wait! There appears to be something [wp.com] entangled with our anchor as we hoist it back aboard.

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by Tablizer ( 95088 )

      Shit, Corona virus mutated into a metallic form! Bill Gates' Deep State vax's did this! Lockem up!

  • title
  • Time to give some maladjusted, antisocial people a bit of budget and a mandate to cost the Russian state money. Various militaries have certainly mapped out options, shouldn't be hard to operationalize.

    I can write the diplomatic response - "we know nothing about these little green men you speak of."

  • with officials increasingly pointing to Russia as the likely culprit.

    Just in time to sabotage any peace deal in Ukraine. Next thing, the Russians will blow up their own gas pipelines, again.

  • Fire upon any vessel that comes within 2km of an undersea cable with overwhelming force.

    Once the source of severing a cable is determined, mount a decapitation strike against the offending nation.

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