UK Proposes Emergency Powers to Shield Undersea Cables from Threats
Current overview (not historical)
The UK government has announced a new set of emergency measures aimed at protecting undersea internet cables and energy pipelines. The proposed legislation would grant ministers the authority to order telecom companies to remove or disable services on affected cables and would give officials access to cable landing stations. Offences under the scheme range from intentional damage, punishable by up to 14 years’ imprisonment, to serious negligence, punishable by up to two years, with the possibility of unlimited fines. The move comes amid growing concerns over Russian threats to undersea infrastructure, including recent allegations that Russian submarines have been conducting reconnaissance along critical cable routes. The regulations will be introduced after industry consultation and will not extend to energy infrastructure companies. The legislation reflects a heightened focus on securing the nation’s digital and energy connectivity against potential hostile actions.
Written with AI from the reporting · updated 10/22/2026
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- 1Unclassified fact stationOct 22, 00:00recorded Oct 23, 00:41single sourcerevised
UK plans emergency powers to protect undersea cables
Read original source ↗ BBC PoliticsReplay this moment in the explorerEvidence & revisions · 1 source records
- Subject：
- UK government
- Action：
- outlined new measures
- Object：
- undersea internet cables and energy pipelines
- Occurred (fact side)：
- Oct 22, 00:00
- Published (valid side)：
- Oct 22, 23:56
- First seen (known side)：
- Oct 23, 00:41
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- BBC PoliticsRelated fact: single sourceSource report revisedUK plans emergency powers to protect undersea internet cables amid Russian interference fears
Report first recorded Oct 23, 00:41
The UK government is proposing new legislation to grant ministers emergency powers to order telecom companies to remove or disable services affecting undersea internet cables during national security emergencies, and to allow officials access to cable landing stations. The proposed measures include criminal penalties of up to 14 years for intentional tampering, 10 years for reckless conduct, and two years for grossly negligent conduct, alongside unlimited fines, and companies refusing compliance could face fines up to £17m or 10% of global turnover. These plans follow growing concerns from the UK and its Nato allies regarding Russian risks to offshore infrastructure, including accusations that Russian submarines conducted covert operations and used spy ships to map UK undersea assets.
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