coordinated at the same time partly at night,
using power tools to cut fiber in ways that are hard to repair,
That does scream professional job.
Now I agree that many countries manage their physical network security in a weak/ lousy way.
Interestingly, poorer countries tend to do a better job because they know people will mess with infrastructure.
I fail to see any sophistication here.
Motivation, on the other hand, is above and beyond.
You don't need power tools, just a cutter. This is fiberglass coated in something like PVC. A knife will do. This "hard to repair" refers to making two cuts, a bit further apart than whatever slack is in the cable. You do that by taking up the slack, then making cuts where the cables don't touch.
It does not scream professional in the slightest, only motivation and a few like-minded people.
That's what they used.
And I guess they did use power tools to go faster for the two cuts required.
I think you underestimate the work needed, especially when doing black bag (IE illegal and covert) operations.
Now maybe some people with actual experience could give us better figures, ... But they tend to stay quiet
Is that the type of thing they teach in the scouts these days?
They way it's done is everyone checks in to a group chat when they are in position and then one person in charge (either back at home or even himself in the field) tells the group to go when he judges everything to be ready.