“The level of activity,” a senior European diplomat told the Times, “is comparable to what we saw in the Cold War.”
However, cutting off the U.S. from the Internet is likely impossible, said Keir Giles, an associate fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Program at think tank Chatham House.
“I very much doubt that anyone would think of cutting off the U.S.,” he told the BBC. “It is only going to work in locations where the Internet geography is going to create a vulnerability in communications.”
After the Times published its report, a Russian official said Moscow has no plans to cut the cables.
“The United States increasingly resembles Sweden, often believing that Russian submarines are present in their territorial waters. Fear has many eyes. Although these data cables indeed exist, we will definitely not damage them,” Vladimir Komoyedov, the head of the Russian State Duma’s defense committee and former Black Sea Fleet commander, told Sputnik News.
Former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Viktor Kravchenko said U.S. officials are worried because of increased activity among Russian submarines.
