British Marshal Claims Russia Could Cut Off NATO Countries' Internet

Russia poses a threat to the security of deep-sea cables connecting the US and Europe that are necessary for providing Internet access, Air Chief Marshal Stuart Peach and the future head of the NATO Military Committee said during a speech at the Royal United Services Institute.

Peach said that Russia "in addition to new ships and submarines, continues to perfect both unconventional capabilities and information warfare."

For this reason, NATO must develop its own naval forces to keep up with Russia, which is modernizing its fleet, Peach believes.

"A new threat has arisen to our prosperity and way of life, for cables crossing the seabed, the failure of which, due to the breakage or destructive impact of <…>, will violate both international trade and the Internet," he added.

READ MORE: British MP Urges Gov't to Engage With Russia Despite UK 'Megaphone Diplomacy'

On December 6, employees of the Russian embassy in Britain responded to the accusations of the former head of the UK Government Communications Center that Russia plans to cut the underwater cables and deprive the United Kingdom of access to the Internet. The Times quotes the ex-official as saying.

Internet users have responded to Air Chief Marshal Stuart Pich's statement on Russian threat to undersea cables.

​The Western states have repeatedly accused Russia of allegedly posing a threat to NATO countries. Vladimir Putin said that there is nothing to be afraid of, and all Russian actions are only a reaction to certain initiatives of the NATO alliance, in particular, the deployment of the US missile defense system close to Russian borders.