Britain’s most senior naval commander has warned that Russia is preparing for potential operations against the United Kingdom’s underwater cables and pipelines, raising concerns over the security of infrastructure that underpins global communications and finance. The warning reflects growing unease in London and among NATO allies over Moscow’s expanding deep-sea capabilities and their potential use beyond conventional military confrontation.
The assessment comes amid broader fears that undersea infrastructure is increasingly viewed as a strategic pressure point, allowing hostile actors to disrupt societies without crossing the threshold of open conflict. British officials say the scale and sensitivity of these systems make them an attractive target in an era of hybrid warfare.
Navy chief highlights revived Russian deep-sea capabilities
In an interview with the Financial Times, Admiral Gwyn Jenkins said Russia’s elite deep-sea units are once again capable of operating at extreme depths, posing a tangible threat to cables and pipelines serving the UK. He pointed to renewed investment in the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research, known by its Russian acronym GUGI, describing its capabilities as restored after a period of technical difficulty.
Jenkins said Britain could not afford to overlook the advanced nature of Russian underwater platforms, which are designed to carry out complex operations far below the reach of standard submarines. He indicated that these assets give Moscow options to apply physical pressure if it chooses to do so, even if such actions fall short of overt military attack.
GUGI’s role in potential sabotage and surveillance
GUGI is a highly secretive branch of Russia’s defence ministry, operating specialised vessels and submersibles capable of installing, removing or interfering with equipment on the seabed. Western security officials believe these capabilities could be used to damage or tap transatlantic cables that carry vast volumes of internet traffic and financial data.
Military analysts have suggested that so-called “physical impact” could involve placing explosives at cable junctions or interfering with pipelines at vulnerable connection points. Such methods would allow significant disruption while offering Moscow plausible deniability, a hallmark of hybrid operations aimed at undermining confidence in public institutions.
Recent incidents heighten UK concern
Concerns intensified in mid-November 2025, when the Russian intelligence ship Yantar, which operates under GUGI, reportedly used lasers against pilots of aircraft monitoring its movements. Following the incident, UK defence secretary John Healey said military response options were ready should the vessel pose a direct threat to British interests.
British and US officials have repeatedly warned that Russia has mapped key sections of Western undersea infrastructure, reinforcing fears that surveillance and preparation are already under way. NATO allies view these activities as part of a broader effort to probe vulnerabilities and signal technological reach.
Hybrid warfare and strategic pressure on the West
Western governments increasingly see undersea cables and pipelines as central to modern security, given their role in banking systems, government communications and media networks. Any disruption could cause cascading economic and political effects, making even the threat of action a powerful tool of coercion.
Officials argue that the revival of GUGI demonstrates Moscow’s intent to prepare for long-term confrontation with the West. By forcing countries to invest heavily in monitoring and protection, Russia can impose costs and uncertainty without engaging in direct hostilities.
Economic stakes push issue onto NATO agenda
For the UK, the risk is not only military but economic. Damage to subsea infrastructure could shake financial markets, disrupt logistics and undermine digital services, exposing vulnerabilities in one of Europe’s leading financial centres.
As a result, London has stepped up efforts to frame the issue as a collective security challenge within NATO, seeking shared monitoring, intelligence and deterrence measures. British officials argue that only a coordinated response can reduce the strategic leverage such threats provide.
