UK armed forces were deployed to track and deter ‘malign activity’ by Russian submarines in a massive month-long operation, Defence Secretary John Healey has announced
British armed forces foiled an attempt by Russian submarines to spy on critical undersea cables while the world was distracted by the Iran crisis, the Defence Secretary has revealed.
John Healey warned Kremlin tyrant Vladimir Putin, “We see you”, as he exposed a covert plot by Moscow to survey vital infrastructure in the north Atlantic. The Navy deployed a Type 23 frigate HMS St Albans, RFA Tidespring and Merlin helicopters to track the Russian Akula class nuclear-powered attack submarine and two spy crafts in a month-long operation involving more than 5,000 British personnel.
The military dropped sonobuoys – acoustic sensors that can detect, classify and track underwater threats – to deter Russia from damaging undersea cables. RAF crews also flew more than 50 sorties using P-8 Poseidon submarine-hunting aircraft, with support from allies including Norway.
In a Downing Street press conference, Mr Healey told the Russian President: “We see you. We see your activity over our cables and our pipelines and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences.”
Mr Healey said the latest action took place “while the eyes of many – understandably – were on the Middle East” – but warned that Russian remained the greatest threat to Britain. “I’m pretty clear that Putin would want us to be distracted by the Middle East,” he said.
“We recognise Russia as the primary threat to the UK and Nato, and we will no take our eyes off Putin, while at the same time we act to protect British interests and our British allies in the Middle East.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “I am determined to protect the British people from paying the price for Putin’s aggression in their household bills. That is why we will not shy away from taking action and exposing Russia’s destabilising activity that seeks to test our resolve.
“Our Armed Forces are among the best in the world, and the British public should be in no doubt that this government will do whatever it takes to defend our national and economic security, wherever in the world that is needed.”
The attack submarine was spotted entering international waters in the High North several weeks ago, with British forces tracking its activity around the clock. It emerged that the submarine had likely been deployed as a decoy to distract two specialist submarines from the Main Directorate for Deep-Sea Research – known as Gugi – a secretive Russian agency repeatedly accused of carrying out surveillance on the seabed.
Today, the Ministry of Defence published satellite images of Olenya Guba, Russia’s naval base in the High North as concerns mount over Russian threats to a massive network of undersea cables and pipelines. These carry 99% of international telecoms and data traffic, underpinning global banking and trade, as well as half the gas that heats our homes. There is no evidence any damage has been done in this latest incident.
British defences are being increasingly tested, with a 30% surge in Russian vessels menacing UK waters in the last two years. Spy ship, the Yantar, shone lasers at RAF pilots last year when it was spotted lurking on the edge of British waters. A defence source suggested it had acted as a deterrent, as the Yantar has not returned.
Russia sending a warship to escort shadow fleet tankers shows UK threats to seize the sanctioned vessels are “having an impact”, Mr Healey said. The PM last month said Britain’s commandos had been given the green light to storm shadow fleet vessels carrying oil to evade Western sanctions through UK waters. None have so far been seized.
The Telegraph reported that Black Sea fleet frigate Admiral Grigorovich accompanied two shadow fleet vessels along England’s southern coast on Wednesday while British tanker RFA Tideforce followed behind.
Challenged on the reports, Mr Healey said: “I would just suggest to you, if the action we’ve already taken, the action that the Prime Minister has indicated we’re ready to take in addition, is making Russia re-route its shadow ships as it has, or escort its shadow ships with its own warships, then the stance, the military posture, the determined work that we’ve done, particularly with JEF (Joint Expeditionary Force) allied nations, is having an impact and making it harder for Putin to pursue his illegal oil revenues, coordinate and run his shadow fleet and fund his illegal war in Ukraine.
“And we aim with others to put more pressure in the coming weeks and months on that activity.”
As the fallout continues from the Iran crisis, Mr Healey hit back at criticism that the UK has not deployed enough military assets to the Middle East. The Defence Secretary said: “When a crisis erupts noisily and dangerously, as it has done in the Middle East, I understand people questioning why all UK military assets and personnel have not been deployed to deal with it, but that is not in Britain’s national interest. The greatest threats are often unseen and silent, and as demands on defence rise, we must deploy our resources to best effect.”
Mr Healey also rejected Donald Trump’s insults after the US president lashed out at the UK for failing to join his war and branded Royal Navy aircraft carriers as “toys”. Asked what he thought members of the British armed forces would want him to say of Mr Trump’s descriptions of UK aircraft carriers, Mr Healey said: “I like to let our actions, rather than our words, speak for themselves. And I would just say about our carriers, I reject the descriptions that have been levelled against them.
Pressed on Trump’s disparaging remarks about Nato, Mr Healey said: “I’m not going to comment on social media posts. What I can reflect on is the conversations that I’ve had with his secretary of war, Pete Hegseth, both one to one, and when I sit next to him at Nato defence minister meetings.
“He is clear about the US, that they remain totally, totally committed to Nato and to article 5, but equally strong in requiring European Nato nations, like the UK to step up.”
