British defence officials have revealed that Russian submarines are being deployed alongside the Moscow-based spy vessel Yantar to monitor and potentially sabotage critical undersea infrastructure near the UK, according to a report in Times UK. The operations, first observed in November last year, included a submarine shadowing the Yantar as it surveyed a gas pipeline connecting Britain and Ireland.
The Royal Navy tracked the vessel with one of its own hunter-killer submarines, and a newly declassified image released to Times UK shows the British submarine alongside an anti-submarine Merlin Mk2 helicopter during the incident in the Irish Sea. Defence sources say this is one of several such missions in which Russian submarines have accompanied the Yantar in waters near the British Isles.
General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, head of the Royal Navy, recently warned that Russia is renewing investment in its elite deep-sea submarine division, known as GUGI, giving Moscow the option to take “physical action” against the UK and NATO allies. Intelligence indicates that Russian operations are focused on mapping gas, electricity, and fibre-optic cables that traverse the Irish Sea, with fears that sabotage could occur during a future conflict.
In response to the Yantar’s movements, British naval crews were instructed to use secure communication channels and limit transmissions. A navy hunter-killer submarine surfaced near the Yantar in a show of force, reportedly sending the message: “Thank you for allowing us to monitor your every move for the last few days.” Specialist divers later inspected the gas pipeline to ensure it had not been tampered with.
Times UK reports that senior defence sources are concerned that Russia may be expanding its “grey-zone” operations around Britain and Ireland, particularly exploiting Ireland’s military neutrality. Intelligence also suggests that fishermen in southeast Ireland were approached with offers of money to drag metal-cutting objects across the seabed at specific coordinates.
Russia’s interest extends to Britain’s submarine fleet, which operates from Faslane in northwest Scotland, as well as submarine construction yards in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. European military officials believe Yantar and similar spy ships also aim to intercept naval communications and monitor NATO responses to provocations.
In light of these threats, the UK government has increased maritime patrols and established the Undersea Infrastructure Security Oversight Board, tasked with coordinating policy on subsea cables. Defence Secretary John Healey and the Ministry of Defence emphasized that Britain is tackling the threat head-on and investing in the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin highlighted the importance of protecting undersea infrastructure, citing past Russian sabotage incidents in the Baltic and across Europe, and stressed ongoing cooperation between Ireland, the UK, and EU member states to strengthen resilience.
