UK warns Putin as Russian spy submarines tracked in North Atlantic
UK warns Putin as Russian spy submarines tracked in North Atlantic
Defence Secretary John Healey says the UK and allies tracked three Russian subs for a month and warned any attack on cables or pipelines will have serious consequences.
London — Defence Secretary John Healey delivered a stark warning to Vladimir Putin at a Downing Street press conference after Russian attack and spy submarines were detected operating in the North Atlantic. He said the UK and its allies tracked three vessels — an Akula-class nuclear-powered attack submarine and two deep-sea research submarines from Russia’s ministry of defence programme known as GUGI — for about a month before they retreated. A Royal Navy warship and Royal Air Force P-8 Poseidon aircraft, working with allies, kept watch on the submarines around the clock.\n\nAddressing Putin directly, Healey said: "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." The defence secretary stressed that the monitoring effort demonstrated the UK's determination to deter malign actions in international waters.\n\nHe noted that, in response to the submarine activity, he had deployed armed forces to track and deter any malign activity and that the operation had been conducted with 24/7 surveillance to ensure there was no escalation. The disclosure comes amid heightened Russian activity in the Atlantic, with officials emphasising that allied vigilance remains constant.\n\nIn a broader security context, media reports described a Russian warship escorting sanctioned oil tankers through the English Channel, accompanied by a Black Sea fleet frigate and shadow fleet vessels observed off England’s south coast, with a Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker in the wake. The government underscored that such actions illustrate Russia’s wider activity near UK waters and reaffirmed its commitment to deterrence and readiness.\n\nThe Defence Secretary’s remarks reflect a broader Western stance of persistent deterrence in the North Atlantic, signaling to Moscow that the UK and its allies will respond decisively to threats against critical infrastructure and sea lanes.
