New York Times - Pentagon Worried Russia is Planning to Cut Global Internet Communications

[Awakened]

From the New York Times - "Russian submarines and spy ships are aggressively operating near the vital undersea cables that carry almost all global Internet communications, raising concerns among some American military and intelligence officials that the Russians might be planning to attack those lines in times of tension or conflict."

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/26/world/europe/russian-presence-near-undersea-cables-concerns-us.html?_r=1

 

Key points from the article:

 

• “The level of activity,” a senior European diplomat said, “is comparable to what we saw in the Cold War.” ​

• ​What worries Pentagon planners most is that the Russians appear to be looking for vulnerabilities at much greater depths, where the cables are hard to monitor and breaks are hard to find and repair.

• One NATO ally, Norway, is so concerned that it has asked its neighbors for aid in tracking Russian submarines.

• The role of the cables is more important than ever before. They carry global business worth more than $10 trillion a day, including from financial institutions that settle transactions on them every second. Any significant disruption would cut the flow of capital. The cables also carry more than 95 percent of daily communications.

• So important are undersea cables that the Department of Homeland Security lists their landing areas at the top of its list of “critical infrastructure.”

• Russia is also building an undersea unmanned drone capable of carrying a small, tactical nuclear weapon to use against harbors or coastal areas, American military and intelligence analysts said.  

I think it’s becoming more and more apparent that Russia still in fact holds the title of KON.

[New World Explorer]

From the New York Times - "Russian submarines and spy ships are aggressively operating near the vital undersea cables that carry almost all global Internet communications, raising concerns among some American military and intelligence officials that the Russians might be planning to attack those lines in times of tension or conflict."

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/26/world/europe/russian-presence-near-undersea-cables-concerns-us.html?_r=1

 

Key points from the article:

 

• “The level of activity,” a senior European diplomat said, “is comparable to what we saw in the Cold War.” ​

• ​What worries Pentagon planners most is that the Russians appear to be looking for vulnerabilities at much greater depths, where the cables are hard to monitor and breaks are hard to find and repair.

• One NATO ally, Norway, is so concerned that it has asked its neighbors for aid in tracking Russian submarines.

• The role of the cables is more important than ever before. They carry global business worth more than $10 trillion a day, including from financial institutions that settle transactions on them every second. Any significant disruption would cut the flow of capital. The cables also carry more than 95 percent of daily communications.

• So important are undersea cables that the Department of Homeland Security lists their landing areas at the top of its list of “critical infrastructure.”

• Russia is also building an undersea unmanned drone capable of carrying a small, tactical nuclear weapon to use against harbors or coastal areas, American military and intelligence analysts said.  

I think it’s becoming more and more apparent that Russia still in fact holds the title of KON.

 

My take on this :

WASHINGTON – Russian warplanes sent to Syria to back the regime of Bashar Assad are breaking down at a rapid rate that appears to be affecting their ability to strike targets, according to a senior Defense official. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/10/25/russia-vladimir-putin-ash-carter-syria/74586002/

 

If Russians destroy internet than how they will order spare parts ? Always cheaper online LOL             

[ChocoBro]

They want to cut us off from our jw.org site

 

 

My take on this :

WASHINGTON – Russian warplanes sent to Syria to back the regime of Bashar Assad are breaking down at a rapid rate that appears to be affecting their ability to strike targets, according to a senior Defense official. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/10/25/russia-vladimir-putin-ash-carter-syria/74586002/

 

If Russians destroy internet than how they will order spare parts ? Always cheaper online LOL             

 

Do you really not think this is propaganda? Sounds like propaganda to me. Like the stories of the crashed cruise missiles that, apparently, never crashed.

Edited October 26, 2015 by ChocoboRider

[trottigy]

I see they have multiple back up means - like Satellite -> http://1547realty.com/internet-traffic-traverse-globe-intercontinental-suboceanic-connectivity-101/

 

http://www.gizmag.com/samsung-satellite-network-internet-access/38971/

 

Also an interesting read - http://www.wired.com/2015/06/elon-musk-space-x-satellite-internet/

 

Cutting fiber wont "stop" the internet - slow it down - maybe. Besides - they would have to cut them all:

 

 

I agree - this is just a propaganda piece - that the Russian would be thinking of doing this. Then there would be a global war. AND I think the Chinese would be the MOST upset. Russia is surely not thinking of poking the Giant Panda   

Edited October 26, 2015 by trottigy

[Tortuga]

• The role of the cables is more important than ever before. They carry global business worth more than $10 trillion a day, including from financial institutions that settle transactions on them every second. Any significant disruption would cut the flow of capital. The cables also carry more than 95 percent of daily communications.

 

There was an episode of 'Elementary' where someone was trying to install a device on one of the cables, the story line said they planned to take advantage of a slight delay in the financial communication and be able to control the market. It's interesting how TV shows can portray how fragile things may be. I wonder if it is true.. 

[Robroy]

And Russia's response:

http://sputniknews.com/military/20151026/1029123002/russia-us-submarines-data-cable-atlantic.html

Propaganda. Fear-mongering. Both sides use it.