Vodafone Group and Vodafone Ukraine have announced plans to collaborate on a new undersea cable across the Black Sea, aiming to link Europe and Asia while circumventing Russia. According to reports, the construction of the Kardesa submarine cable system is expected to commence in Bulgaria in 2027, with other participating countries to follow shortly afterward. The Kardesa cable system will traverse Ukraine, but only within areas deemed safe under international standards. The project is expected to cost more than €100,000,000 (over $116 million) and should improve connectivity in the countries it links. It could also encourage further investment in data centers and artificial intelligence.
Right now, the Submarine Cable Map shows only one cable crossing the entire Black Sea, connecting Georgia and Bulgaria. There are a few other cables in the region, but they mostly link neighboring countries, like Russia to Georgia or Bulgaria to Turkey. The Kardesa cable system will integrate Georgia, Turkey, and Bulgaria before crossing the sea to Ukraine, creating a new route between Europe and Asia that bypasses the Mediterranean.
The expansion comes at a time when both governments and private actors recognize the fragility of global undersea networks. Only last month, a number of cables in the Red Sea were disrupted, affecting connections between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. By having multiple routes across different regions, internet traffic can be rerouted if a cable fails or comes under attack, which helps make the global network more resilient. Meta has also revealed plans for a 50,000-km global cable linking the U.S., Brazil, Africa, India, and Australia. The route is designed to steer clear of geopolitically sensitive areas like Northern Europe, the Middle East, and the Malacca Strait.
Despite these precautions, avoiding all threats is not always feasible for nations within a region. As a result, both companies and governments are taking steps to protect undersea infrastructure. German company AP Sensing has rolled out Distributed Fiber Optic Sensing technology, using sonar to spot possible sabotage on cables. NATO has begun sending drones to help safeguard undersea networks, and Taiwan has stepped up patrols along its 24 submarine cables.