A Russian submarine was deployed alongside a spy ship to map critical undersea infrastructure around Britain, it has emerged.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has declassified a photo of the incident, which saw a submarine shadowing the Yantar, officially described as a Russian research ship, as it reportedly surveyed the gas pipeline linking Britain and Ireland. It was not clear whether the escort was one of Russia’s own purpose-built sabotage submarines.
An anti-submarine Merlin Mk2 helicopter could be seen from the photo tracking the Yantar in the Irish Sea from November last year; a British submarine also emerged from the surface nearby.
It is believed to be one of several operations where Russian submarines have accompanied the Yantar into waters close to the British Isles, according to The Sunday Times.
First sea lord general Sir Gwyn Jenkins said earlier this month that there had been a “30 per cent increase in Russian incursion in our waters” just over the last two years.
The activity is most visibly seen in the presence of spy ships like the Yantar operating near UK waters, he said, but warned: “It’s what’s going on under the waves that most concerns me.”
Just last week Sir Gwyn warned that Russia was renewing its investment in its elite deep-sea submarine division, known as GUGI. The UK sanctioned the Russian military agency, which is leading the development of Russia’s underwater intelligence gathering operations, in June this year.
An MoD Spokesperson said: “As the Defence Secretary has said, our message to President Putin is clear: We see you, we know what you are doing, and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country.
“We are acutely aware of the threat posed by Russia, which includes attempts to map undersea cables, networks, and pipelines belonging to both the UK and our allies, and we are tackling these threats head on.
“That is why the Prime Minister set out the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, including a commitment to increase spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP from April 2027, and an ambition to spend 3 per cent of GDP in the next parliament, as economic and fiscal conditions allow.
“In addition, we have introduced 900 new sanctions against individuals, entities and ships under the Russia regime, and accelerated the development and deployment of advanced anti-submarine technology.”
The government believes its Atlantic Bastion programme, which is integrating autonomous vessels, AI-enabled sensors, warships, and aircraft to safeguard critical undersea infrastructure against evolving challenges, will help to secure the North Atlantic for the UK and NATO to counter the threat of Russia’s evolving submarine force.
