Finland to "cut" cables: Russian operators will have to look for new internet routes
Finland will cut the optical fiber communication cables attached to its power transmission line pylons along the border with Russia by 2027, according to its energy company Fingrid. This follows the 2022 halt of electricity imports from Russia, making the infrastructure economically unviable to maintain solely for telecom needs. Currently, about 60-70% of Russia's international internet traffic transits through Finland, with up to 30% of these lines running along the power lines in question.
Russian telecom operators are negotiating with Finnish counterparts for alternative routes. Potential backups include lines through Belarus, Baltic states, and submarine cables in the Baltic Sea. While no major impact on user traffic is expected, potential effects include rerouting, reduced network redundancy, and increased latency, especially for users in northwestern and European Russia.
An AI analysis notes that shifting to submarine cables introduces new risks, as they are vulnerable to anchor damage and lengthy repairs. This technical move occurs alongside broader trends toward digital autonomy in Russia, raising questions about the future reliability of external internet channels.
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