Russian submarine followed spy ship into British waters as it mapped gas pipeline
Russian submarine seen alongside spy ship in British waters
- A Russian submarine was deployed alongside the spy ship Yantar to map critical undersea infrastructure around Britain, including a gas pipeline in the Irish Sea.
- The Ministry of Defence declassified a photo showing a submarine shadowing the Yantar last November, with a British anti-submarine helicopter and submarine also present.
- This incident is part of a broader pattern, with the Royal Navy chief noting a 30 per cent increase in Russian incursions in UK waters over the past two years.
- Concerns are heightened by Russia's renewed investment in its elite deep-sea submarine division, GUGI, which the UK sanctioned in June.
- The UK government is responding with increased defence spending, new sanctions, and the Atlantic Bastion programme to protect critical undersea infrastructure.