While the severing of these telecommunications cables has not been directly blamed on Russia, there is much suspicion that this may have been the hand of Moscow. Reports from last year showed the presence of Russian spy ships in Nordic waters, the US has noted increased Russian activity by undersea cables in recent weeks, while only days ago a Russian vessel had to be removed from Irish waters. With tension between Russia and Europe at a historic high, it does not take much to assume this was Putin's doing.