22nd January 2025 at 2:42pm
The submarine John Healey used to send the message to the Russians is thought to have been an Astute-class boat (Picture: MOD)
A Royal Navy submarine was ordered to surface to warn off one of the Russian navy’s spy ships operating around UK waters, the Defence Secretary has revealed.
John Healey gave details about the activities of the Yantar, which he said the Russians had been using for gathering intelligence and mapping the UK’s critical underwater infrastructure.
Mr Healey warned Russian president Vladimir Putin: “We see you, we know what you are doing and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country.”
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He told MPs the Yantar was in the North Sea having passed through British waters in recent days, where it had been shadowed by Royal Navy ships HMS Somerset and HMS Tyne.
This was the second time the Yantar had entered UK waters in recent months.
“In November, the ship was also closely watched and detected loitering over UK critical undersea infrastructure. To deter any potential threat, I took measured steps,” he told the Commons.
“I authorised a Royal Navy submarine, strictly as a deterrent measure, to surface close to the Yantar to make clear that we had been covertly monitoring its every move.
“The ship then left UK waters without further loitering and sailed down to the Mediterranean.”
The submarine is understood to have been one of the Navy’s Astute-class nuclear-powered boats.
Rules of engagement
When the Yantar returned to the waters around the UK on Monday, Mr Healey changed the Royal Navy’s rules of engagement to allowing shadowing vessels to get closer.
The Defence Secretary said: “The foreign ship Yantar is currently in the North Sea having passed through British waters.
“Let me be clear, this is a Russian spy ship used for gathering intelligence and mapping the UK’s critical underwater infrastructure.
“Yantar entered the UK exclusive economic zone about 45 miles off the British coast on Monday.
“For the last two days the Royal Navy has deployed HMS Somerset and HMS Tyne to monitor the vessel every minute through our waters.
“I changed the Royal Navy’s rules of engagement so that our warships can get closer and better track the Yantar.
“So far, the ship has complied with international rules of navigation.”
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge approved of the change to the Navy’s rules of engagement.
“[It] sends a powerful signal to Putin that we will not be intimidated and that if his aim is to keep pushing the boundaries of malign activity in our waters, and those proximate to us, we will respond,” he said.
The UK is playing a leading role in countering the growing Russian threat to offshore infrastructure in European seas.
As part of the UK’s ongoing work, the Royal Air Force will provide aircraft to a new Nato deployment designed to strengthen protection of offshore infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.
This was announced following damage to the Estlink2 undersea cable between Estonia and Finland.
In response to that incident, the Prime Minister held talks with his Estonian and Finnish counterparts as the UK activated Nordic Warden.
This is an advanced new AI system that helps monitor the Russian shadow fleet and safeguards undersea infrastructure.
Russia’s shadow fleet of ships is used to attempt to bypass international sanctions – and help fund Russia’s war in Ukraine – by moving Russian oil and gas to potential buyers.
As part of the initiative launched by the PM at the European Political Community last year, the UK has sanctioned 93 oil tankers.
The Royal Fleet Auxiliary, which supports Royal Navy operations, is a key element of the UK’s strategy to safeguard offshore infrastructure, with its multi-role ocean surveillance ship, RFA Proteus, capable of deploying submersible drones to assess undersea cables and pipelines.
RFA Proteus was also involved in the shadowing of Yantar last November.