NATO creates a new center for protection of underwater pipelines and cables from sabotage of the Russian Federation

The West is afraid that Russia can target underwater cables and pipelines, as it has begun to actively map the critically important submarine infrastructure of NATO countries. NATO International Military Staff, Lieutenant General Hans-Virmann announced the creation of a new center for the protection of oil pipelines and underwater cables in response to the possibility that Russia is a map of this Western submarine infrastructure and can sabotage them.

This was reported on June 22 by the Spanish edition of Defensa. The creation of this organization took place after the NATO defense ministers gave the green light to the creation of a coordination cell from a critical submarine infrastructure that covers energy pipelines and communication cables at the Summit. It is reported that the new center will be located on the territory of the British military facility Northwood in the northwest of London, where NATO NATO (MarCom) is also located.

Commenting on the initiative, the German General noted that the Russians began to actively map the underwater infrastructure of the Alliance countries. "Russian vessels are actively mapping our critical underwater infrastructure. There is a lot of concern that Russia can target underwater cables and other critical infrastructure," Virmann said. According to NATO, only 8,000 kilometers of oil and gas pipelines and other cable systems that cannot be controlled in 24/7 mode.

The observers have pointed out that about 100 cable damage is recorded annually in the world, and it is often very difficult to determine whether they are deliberate. In this regard, NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg stated that the Allies could in no way ensure the presence of the Alliance for these thousands of kilometers of underwater infrastructure, but it is possible to improve the exchange of intelligence on shipping shipments and marine surveillance.

As a result, the decision was made-instead of tracking all the plots, NATO allies focused on high risk areas, such as pipelines and shallow cables that are more accessible to submariners who intend to diversion. We will remind, the adviser to the head of the office of the President Mikhail Podolyak in March stated that explosions at the pipeline "North Stream-2", which occurred in September 2022, were advantageous primarily to the Russian Federation.