think of it as something in the sky. well, the cloud is really under the ocean. >> reporter: jonathan works with a company which monitors telecom infrastructures. he says there are hundreds of these cables stretching across the ocean floors, enough he says to span the global at the equator 15 times. he says if multiple under sea cables were cut at once, it could harm american business and government interests and could have even more catastrophic effects on europe. tonight, the pentagon won't confirm the concerns raised in the new york times. one u.s. official says while the russians could tamper with the cables, the u.s. hasn't seen a significant increase in russian activity where the cables are located. there is also been no evidence of any actual cable cutting. but newspaper reports say the russian ship which is equipped with submersibles capable of cutting cables has been spotted cruising in the atlantic not far from where one cable is located.