Signal
Submitted
Feb 1, 2026, 00:14 UTC
Russian vessels repeatedly conducted bottom trawling over and damaged the main fiber optic cable connecting Svalbard with the Norwegian mainland in January 2022.
Between January 6 and 7, 2022, Russian fishing vessels repeatedly performed bottom trawling directly above the main fiber optic internet cable connecting Svalbard to the Norwegian mainland. The activity led to damage on this critical infrastructure. Police photos released by Norwegian media NRK showcase the state of the Svalbard fiber cable after extensive trawling by Russian vessels. This presence and repeated activity represent a form of naval intimidation and risked critical infrastructure in Norwegian maritime territory.
Confidence: High
Explicit photographic evidence and maritime tracking show Russian vessels conducting repeated trawling that damaged Norway's critical fiber optic cable. This constitutes a hostile naval pressure action targeting a critical infrastructure connection in Norwegian territorial waters.
Source URL
https://x.com/i/web/status/1794828268480438514
Source reliability
C
Info credibility
4
Event time
Jan 6, 2022, 00:00 UTC
End time
Jan 7, 2022, 23:59 UTC
Event time confidence
unknown
Location
Maritime
Primary actor
Russian fishing vessels
Country
Norway
Tags
Russia, Norway, Svalbard, fiber optic cable, naval intimidation, bottom trawling, maritime security, critical infrastructure damage