In the seas around the UK, the British military found Russian sensors that were likely spying on nuclear submarines.
This is reported by The Telegraph, citing sources.
The British military discovered them when some washed ashore, and they are considered a potential threat to national security.
The incident had not been previously reported, but The Sunday Times reported that the Kremlin wanted to gather intelligence on four British Vanguard-class nuclear-armed submarines.
At least one of these submarines is currently at sea as part of the UKʼs permanent nuclear deterrent.
Russia has a fleet of specialized submarines that may be better equipped for underwater warfare and espionage. During its full-scale war with Ukraine, Russia has stepped up monitoring and sabotage of undersea internet cables, energy pipelines, and military communications — critical assets.
One senior British military official said: “There is no doubt that there is a war going on in the Atlantic. It is a game of cat and mouse that has been going on since the end of the Cold War, but now it is escalating again. We are seeing a phenomenal level of Russian activity.”
The Russian reconnaissance vessel Yantar attracted attention when it appeared near British shores last year, as its underwater activities are coordinated by the Main Directorate for Deep-Sea Research of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
A spokesman for the UK Ministry of Defence said the country is strengthening the protection of critical maritime infrastructure and is stepping up response measures with NATO to prevent covert activity by Russian ships and aircraft near its borders and Alliance territories.
- Bloomberg reported last year that Russia had twice sent submarines into the Irish Sea since its invasion of Ukraine to probe Britain’s defenses, while the Russian Navy had been training to aim its nuclear-tipped missiles at targets in Europe.
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