Russia is endangering the security of a billion people, a NATO commander warns. Privatization in particular has made the underwater infrastructure vulnerable.
NATO is taking the threat under water by Russia seriously and is in the process of protecting itself against it. Under international law, the right to free passage is not compatible with spying on critical infrastructure - but it is not yet clear which measures can be used preventatively. However, it is conceivable to suspend the right of free passage to spy on people under the water, writes the Science and Politics Foundation (SWP). The effort required for targeted attacks is low, writes SWP. Cable harnesses and pipe walls could be damaged with just one anchor, says SWP, and the damage could be done in a matter of minutes. The threat is “all the more threatening” because the effort required to carry out a targeted attack is low. It is not clear who was responsible for the attacks on the Nordstream pipelines.