Arabic version: البحرية البريطانية تعيق أنشطة الغواصات الروسية بالقرب من الكابلات تحت البحر

The UK Navy has successfully deterred Russian submarines from conducting surveillance on critical undersea infrastructure in the North Atlantic, according to The Guardian. Defence Secretary John Healey announced that a British warship, alongside P-8 marine patrol aircraft, tracked and monitored the submarines over a month-long operation, forcing them to abandon their activities.

Healey did not disclose the specific location of the operation, noting it took place outside UK territorial waters but within the exclusive economic zone. The operation involved monitoring a Russian Akula class nuclear submarine and two deep-sea submarines linked to Russia’s directorate for deep sea research (Gugi).

The defence secretary emphasized the importance of the operation, stating it occurred while global attention was focused on the Middle East due to the US-Israeli attack on Iran. He warned President Putin, asserting that any attempts to damage UK cables or pipelines would not be tolerated and would have serious consequences.

While there was no evidence of damage to the underwater infrastructure, Healey confirmed that UK forces and their allies would continue to verify the situation. He described the operation as a demonstration of the UK armed forces’ capability to detect and deter threats, reinforcing the government’s stance on Russia as a primary threat to the UK and NATO.

The operation involved 500 UK personnel and utilized sonar buoys to monitor the Russian submarines continuously. Healey stated that the UK’s military readiness is crucial in protecting vital undersea infrastructure and highlighted the growing concerns about the risks posed by Moscow following the invasion of Ukraine.