Russian trawlers suspected of spying on undersea cables

Russian trawlers are suspected of mapping vital undersea communications cables in the North Atlantic, according to a Telegraph investigation reported by KVF.

The investigation analysed shipping data from Russian fishing vessels over the past four and a half years. It identified more than 500 occasions when trawlers sailed unusually slowly or stopped near cables linking Britain with Europe and the United States. In total, 17 Russian fishing vessels were identified.

One cable mentioned is SHEFA-2, which connects the Faroe Islands and Shetland. The Telegraph reported that a Russian fishing vessel repeatedly crossed the Hibernia Express cable, which crosses the Atlantic, in February 2025. The same vessel also sailed slowly along the route of SHEFA-2.

The newspaper also found suspicious movements by Russian fishing vessels north of Scotland and in areas near the Faroe Islands. Military experts told The Telegraph that vessels moving slowly could use sonar equipment to map the seabed, and that remotely operated underwater vehicles could be used to examine cables more closely. However, there is no proof that Russian vessels spied on SHEFA-2.

British officials are concerned that Russian fishing vessels could be used to gather information about undersea cables that might later be targeted for sabotage. The cables are important for international communications, financial services and other critical services. A NATO source told The Telegraph that the alliance is closely monitoring Russian fishing vessels, some of which have never been seen carrying fish.

The British government plans to strengthen laws protecting critical undersea infrastructure. Proposals include raising the maximum penalty for deliberately damaging undersea cables to 14 years in prison. British officials have also warned that Russia uses commercial and other civilian vessels for activities that could threaten security.

The issue is particularly relevant to the Faroe Islands because Russian trawlers still have fishing rights in Faroese waters. The Faroe Islands and Russia are due to resume negotiations in December on fishing rights for next year.