The defence secretary has issued a stark warning to Vladimir Putin after Russian attack and spy submarines were found operating in the North Atlantic.
John Healey told a press conference in Downing Street on Thursday that in the past few weeks, while many eyes were trained on the Middle East crisis, the UK responded to “increased Russian activity” near crucial UK cables and pipelines in the Atlantic north of Britain.
He revealed that the UK and allies monitored the vessels, which included a Russian Akula-class nuclear-powered attack submarine and two specialist submarines from Russia’s ministry of defence deep sea research programme, known as GUGI, for a month before they retreated.
Addressing Putin directly, Mr 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.”
Mr Healey’s warning came after The Telegraph reported that Russia sent a warship to escort sanctioned oil tankers through the English Channel, following Sir Keir Starmer’s declaration that sanctioned vessels sailing in British waters would be seized.
The Black Sea Fleet frigate Admiral Grigorovich is said to have accompanied a pair of shadow fleet ships on Wednesday, which were followed by a British naval vessel. According to the newspaper, the vessel observed the flotilla off England’s south coast while RFA Tideforce, a Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker, was in their wake.
Mr Healey said: “In response to the Russian submarines, I can confirm that I deployed our armed forces to track and to deter any malign activity by these vessels. A Royal Navy warship and Royal Air Force P8 aircraft alongside allies ensured that the Russian submarines were monitored 24/7. The Akula submarine subsequently retreated home, having been closely tracked throughout, and we continued to monitor the two GUGI submarines in and around wider UK waters.
“Our armed forces left them in no doubt that they were being monitored, that their movements were not covert, as President Putin planned, and that their attempted secret operation had been exposed. Those GUGI submarines have now left UK waters and headed back north.”
Mr Healey said the attack submarine acted as “a likely decoy” to distract from the GUGI submarines as they “spent time over critical infrastructure relevant to us and our allies in the North Atlantic. Because we were watching them, we wanted to ensure that we could warn them that their covert operation had been exposed and reduce the risk that they may attempt any action that could damage our pipelines or our cables.
“And I’m confident we have no evidence that there has been any damage, but with allies we’re sure that this is now verifiable.”
Undersea fibre-optic cables, which are responsible for 99 per cent of the world’s digital communications, are essential for commerce, government and military functions by securely transmitting information. Any damage to Britain’s undersea cables could cause serious political and economic disruption.
Sir Kier Starmer said last month that the navy would intercept Russia’s shadow fleet. The armed forces and law enforcement are now empowered to halt and board sanctioned vessels that pass through UK waters. The prime minister’s announcement was made in conjunction with European allies in an attempt to cut off funding for Moscow’s war with Ukraine.
It is understood that the shadow fleet consists of approximately 700 vessels, carrying around 40 per cent of all Russian oil exports. The UK has to date sanctioned 544 Russian shadow fleet vessels that ship oil and other goods out of Russia illegally by flying the flags of other countries, with the aim of evading sanctions imposed by the West since the invasion of Ukraine.
Closing off British waters is aimed at forcing the Russian vessels into taking longer, more costly sea routes, or risk being intercepted by the UK.
Sir Keir said: “We are living in an increasingly volatile and dangerous world, facing threats from different fronts across the world every day. As prime minister, my first duty is to keep this country safe and protect British interests here and abroad. Putin is rubbing his hands at the war in the Middle East because he thinks higher oil prices will let him line his pockets. That’s why we’re going after his shadow fleet even harder, not just keeping Britain safe but starving Putin’s war machine of the dirty profits that fund his barbaric campaign in Ukraine. He and his cronies should be in no doubt, we will always defend our sovereignty and stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
British forces have already been involved in tracking shadow fleet vessels for several years, and have supported operations by other countries to seize the ships.