According to the publication, the Black Sea cable is one of the main priorities for the region. But the question of the relevance of the project remains open due to the presence of Russian warships in the Black Sea.
The European Union plans to lay a new offshore cable across the Black Sea in response to concerns over Russia’s attacks on undersea internet cables. According to the representatives of the European Commission, this project aims to improve communications with the Caucasus, including with Georgia, and reduce the region’s dependence on transit terrestrial fiber optic communications passing through the territory of Russia. This was reported by the Financial Times with reference to the EC policy document.
According to the publication, the idea of creating such a cable was discussed in 2021, but the war in Ukraine became an additional impetus for the project. Construction of the 1,100 km cable is expected to cost 45m euros. The project is currently in the feasibility study phase and the start of the tender has not been announced yet.
Vodafone, headquartered in England, is considering the possibility of laying a cable line crossing the Black Sea as part of the Kardessa project. It connects Ukraine to Bulgaria, Turkey and Georgia, and then to Armenia, Kazakhstan and Asia via an underground route.
According to David McAllister, Member of the European Parliament and Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the European Parliament, the creation of the Black Sea cable is a key project and one of the main priorities for the region.
“Without Internet cables, there would be no video conferencing, no research collaboration, no Netflix. The Russians know that,” McAllister says.
Questions about the feasibility and timing of the project remain unclear as Russia continues to use its warships in the Black Sea to launch missile strikes on Ukraine and blockade ports.
Recall that on April 7, Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba analyzed the data of the Russian search engine “Yandex” and, accordingly, the Russians became less interested in rest in the Crimea. Travel demand to the occupied peninsula has fallen by more than half.
It was also learned that on March 25, the Russian Federation began to abandon its tactics of mass attack and is now shelling the territory of Ukraine differently. The enemy now fires pinpoints at Ukrainian cities instead of dozens of missiles at once. They test the soil to find the most effective way for themselves.
Source: Focus
Ashley Fitzgerald is an accomplished journalist in the field of technology. She currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker. With a deep understanding of the latest technology developments, Ashley’s writing provides readers with insightful analysis and unique perspectives on the industry.