right here is little doubt Russia has “the intent and the ability” to focus on the West’s underwater power and communication traces, Ben Wallace mentioned as he launched a safety partnership with Norway.

At a press convention alongside his Norwegian counterpart on the Northwood army base on Thursday, the Defence Secretary mentioned Moscow has submarines and spy ships “specifically designed” to “potentially sabotage or attack critical national infrastructure belonging to its adversaries”.

Mr Wallace and Norwegian defence minister Bjorn Arild Gram signed a press release of intent to extend cooperation on countering undersea threats within the wake of final yr’s assault on the Nord Stream fuel pipeline.

While the Ministry of Defence didn't title Russia in its launch in regards to the settlement, Mr Wallace left little doubt as to the place the risk is emanating from.

He advised the press convention: “What we know is the Russians have a work programme, they have a specific naval programme designed to both look at and potentially sabotage or attack critical national infrastructure belonging to its adversaries.

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“It has a number of submarines and other pieces of equipment and spy ships and everything else specifically designed for that purpose.

“So whether we are talking about Nord Stream, whether we are talking about our own infrastructure, that is an area that is vulnerable and needs to be protected.”

He added: “What we can say without doubt is Russia has the intent and the capability to target the West’s critical national infrastructure. We have to have the intent and the capability to defend it.”

Asked whether or not he was conscious of any underwater cables already being sabotaged, the Cabinet minister mentioned any hypothesis on the UK’s ranges of information on Russian actions would solely assist the Kremlin.

“We have to be alert to the deliberate programme that the Russians have invested in, we must do the same,” he mentioned.

Mr Gram famous the problem of guaranteeing that no infrastructure has been undermined as “we have almost 9,000 kilometres of gas pipelines on the bottom of the sea”.

Neither Mr Wallace nor his Norwegian counterpart would touch upon whether or not Russia was linked to the Nord Stream pipeline explosions, that are nonetheless underneath investigation.

The two nations agreed to extend cooperation to enhance their potential to detect submarines, counter mine threats and customarily improve North Atlantic safety.

The settlement additionally bolsters the event of higher know-how to guard shared pursuits within the North Sea whereas streamlining the method for different allies to affix their exercise, based on the Ministry of Defence.

They have already collectively elevated safety patrols within the area the place the unexplained blasts occurred.

From July, the Royal Navy’s new multi-role ocean surveillance vessel RFA Proteus will go to sea to assist shield crucial infrastructure, Mr Wallace mentioned.

“I fully expect a large part of the area that it will patrol will be Norway and the United Kingdom, the area where our gas pipelines are, where our wind farms are, where our electronic cables and optic cables are,” he mentioned.

Four leaks had been found final September on the Nord Stream 1 and a couple of fuel pipelines that run from Russia to Germany by the Baltic Sea.

The pipelines weren't operational on the time due to disputes between Russia and the European Union over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine however had been crammed with pure fuel.