In early spring, a joint operation between the US, UK, and Norway foiled a Russian attempt to sabotage undersea cables near the Arctic's Svalbard archipelago. The operation involved using a "secret weapon" that allowed for covert action without leaving evidence, which would allow Russia to maintain deniability. This incident has heightened concerns among Western officials that Russia is increasing its covert operations against countries supporting Ukraine, amid reports of stalled progress on the battlefield and a recent discovery of a bomb-packed drone at a German airport**.
The operation involved a “secret weapon” used to sabotage cables without evidence, preserving the Kremlin’s plausible deniability.
