UK Proposes 14-Year Prison Terms for Undersea Cable Sabotage
The plan would add prison terms and unlimited fines as ministers seek stronger powers to counter suspected Russian interference and protect critical infrastructure.
- On Thursday, the British government proposed new emergency powers to protect undersea cables, aiming to replace outdated Victorian-era legislation with tougher criminal penalties for infrastructure damage.
- Ministers cited growing concerns over suspicious Russian activity near British waters, noting the Submarine Telegraph Act 1885 fails to secure infrastructure carrying 99% of international data and 74% of gas.
- The proposed measures include prison sentences of up to 14 years for intentional conduct, while companies refusing to comply with security orders could face fines of up to £17 million.
- Officials stated the new powers would apply across the "full extent" of undersea services, with a 12-week public consultation on the proposals closing January 14, 2027.
- Russia denied the claims and accused the UK of stirring up tensions through what it described as "anti-Russian alarmism.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Britain only has one vessel capable of repairing crucial undersea cables threatened by Russia
Britain has only one vessel capable of repairing crucial undersea cables that are threatened by Russia.On Thursday, Labour admitted Whitehall has no emergency powers to deal with incidents affecting undersea infrastructure.Ministers will gain powers to order telecommunications companies to remove or disable services during national security emergencies and direct cable repair companies to take "specified actions in the interests of national secu…
UK proposes up to 14 years in prison and tougher fines for damaging critical undersea energy and telecommunications infrastructure
The British authorities intend to significantly increase the penalty for deliberate damage to underwater infrastructure, and the perpetrators will face up to 14 years of imprisonment, and the Ministry of Communications has informed the British Ministry of Communications that the fine for such acts is now Pound1,000 ($1,300) and that the strict penalty is imposed only if the damage is caused by the order of another State, but this article is diff…
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