UK Uncovers Suspected Russian Spy Devices Targeting Nuclear Submarines

UK Discovers Suspected Russian Spy Sensors in Local Waters

The UK military has discovered underwater devices suspected to be Russian spy sensors. According to reports from the Sunday Times, these devices are believed to be focused on the nation's nuclear submarines. The Royal Navy reportedly found multiple devices lodged in the seabed, with several others washed ashore. Intelligence chiefs surmise they were planted to gather data on the UK's four nuclear-armed submarines.

The Resurgence of Cold War Incidents

The report further hints at a clandestine warfare simmering in the Atlantic. A UK military senior figure informed the press, "This is a game of cat and mouse that has been playing out since the end of the Cold War, and it appears to be gaining heat once again." These revelations emerged as a result of a three-month investigation by the newspaper. Evidence pointed to unmanned Russian devices spotted close to deep-sea communication cables. The report also suggested that superyachts owned by Russian oligarchs could have been employed to carry out reconnaissance missions underwater.

The Need for Strengthened Surveillance

Former minister Tobias Ellwood alluded to the discovery of these sensors, underscoring the necessity for significant expansion of the UK’s naval surveillance prowess. Ellwood remarked on Britain's need to catch up in keeping tabs on Russia’s subaqueous activities. He accentuated the threat to the nation's security, as 90 per cent of the UK’s data and 60 per cent of its gas is delivered through undersea cables and pipelines, respectively. He posits that the UK could sustain extensive damage through sabotage, which would also be inexpensive and easily deniable.

The Times disclosed evidence of "unmanned Russian vehicles" lurking near deep-sea communication cables. It also suggested that British energy and technology companies should collaborate more closely with the military to fortify underwater infrastructure.

UK Government's Stance on the Issue

The official confirmation of the devices’ existence and their purported function has yet to be ratified by the UK government. Yet, a senior military figure reasserted, “There should be no doubt, there is a war raging in the Atlantic. This is a game of cat and mouse...We are seeing phenomenal amounts of Russian activity.”

This report comes on the heels of reports less than two weeks ago of the Royal Navy shadowing three Russian ships through the English Channel. These ships reportedly included an oceanographic survey ship previously suspected of involvement in operations to map Britain’s critical undersea infrastructure.

Defending Britain's territorial waters, Defence Secretary John Healey issued a stark warning to the Russian Federation earlier this year, bringing attention to numerous instances of suspicious Russian activities in the region. He sent a potent message to Russian President Vladimir Putin: "We see you."