British military forces detected and successfully tracked a group of Russian submarines attempting to conduct reconnaissance near critical undersea infrastructure in the Atlantic Ocean. Defence Secretary John Healey publicly announced the failure of the Kremlin’s operation and warned Vladimir Putin of a severe response if cables or pipelines were damaged.
Sky News reported that, citing the Secretary’s statement during a press conference. Healey emphasized that the UK, together with its allies, ensured 24-hour surveillance of the Russian vessels for over a month. Currently, the Akula-class attack submarine has left the region, but British forces continue to monitor two other GUGI vessels.
Details of Russian activity
British intelligence identified three Russian assets within the UK’s exclusive economic zone. The group included one attack submarine and two specialized deep-sea craft. Healey noted that these vessels are designed to sabotage underwater networks during an open conflict.
More than 500 British military personnel, P-8a aircraft, and Royal Navy ships participated in the tracking mission. Although the Russians operated secretly, the British side used sonar buoys to demonstrate total control over every hour of their activity. Despite Russia’s dangerous maneuvers, infrastructure inspections revealed no damage to communication cables or energy lines.
The Defence Secretary chose a public statement format to send a clear signal to Moscow.
“To President Putin, I say: we see you, we see your activity around our cables and pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them would be unacceptable and would have serious consequences,” Healey stated.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha noted on X that such Russian actions pose a threat to global security. He urged partners to strengthen sanctions and isolate the aggressor.
Previously, The Ukrainian Review reported that Ukrainian Defense Forces struck the frigate Admiral Makarov and an oil terminal in Novorossiysk.
