Soldier of Fortune Magazine The Journal of Professional Adventurers
by Jose Campos
Explosions ripped through the Baltic Sea in 2022, far from any battlefield, silencing pipelines that carried Russian gas to Germany. Beneath the waves, vital arteries of energy and communication had been transformed into weapons. A Ukrainian man, identified only as Serhii K., is suspected of orchestrating the attack. Arrested last month in Italy, he is now fighting extradition to Germany while facing charges of collusion to cause an explosion and destruction of critical infrastructure.
The Nord Stream blasts sent shockwaves across Europe. Both Moscow and the West labeled the blasts as sabotage, crippling Russian gas flows to Europe at a critical time in the war in Ukraine. German prosecutors allege that Serhii K. and accomplices sailed from Rostock, Germany, on a yacht to plant devices on the pipelines near Denmark’s Bornholm island. No one has claimed responsibility, and Ukraine denies involvement.
Experts warn that this is not an isolated incident. Undersea infrastructure – from pipelines to fiber-optic cables carrying global internet traffic – is increasingly viewed as a target in hybrid warfare, capable of disrupting economies, governments, and everyday life without a single soldier stepping ashore.
“Undersea networks are the backbone of modern civilization,” says Dr. Lena Hoffmann, critical infrastructure analyst. “A strike can cripple multiple sectors simultaneously.”
On November 17–18, 2024, two submarine telecommunication cables, the BCS East-West Interlink and C-Lion1, were disrupted in the Baltic Sea. The proximity and near-simultaneous nature of these events raised suspicions of deliberate sabotage. Investigations pointed to a Chinese-flagged vessel, Yi Peng 3, which was in the vicinity during the incidents. While China denied involvement, the coincidence of timing and location fueled accusations of hybrid warfare tactics.
In the waters off Taiwan, authorities have connected two incidents of suspected underwater sabotage with China-linked boats this year.
Why It Matters
- Energy: Pipelines feed millions; a single strike can create shortages and blackouts.
- Communications: Submarine cables carry most of the world’s internet traffic; damage could freeze banking, commerce, and government networks.
- Security: Military and intelligence communications run through the same hidden arteries.
“The Nord Stream case is just the tip of the iceberg,” Hoffmann said.
From Nord Stream to the tangled web of global cables, the ocean floor is a hidden yet key battlefield. The arrests and investigations serve as a reminder that the battlefields of the future are not just in cyberspace or on the ground—but also deep beneath the waves.
Jose Campos covers security for Soldier of Fortune.
