The Royal Navy has conducted a three-day operation tracking a Russian submarine in UK waters. The RFA Tidesurge, equipped with a Merlin helicopter, closely monitored the Kilo-class submarine Krasnodar and its accompanying tug boat Altay as they traversed from the North Sea through the Strait of Dover into the English Channel.
Captain James Allen, commanding officer of the support ship based in Marchwood, emphasized the significance of monitoring a Russian submarine for maritime personnel. Lieutenant Commander David Emery from 814 Naval Air Squadron’s Atlantic Flight highlighted the essential role of maintaining a visible presence and continuous surveillance of Russian vessels in UK waters for national security.
Despite stormy weather conditions, the submarine remained on the surface while the Tidesurge, along with its helicopter onboard for the entire operation, transferred monitoring responsibilities to a NATO ally as the submarine approached the island of Ushant, northwest of France.
Recently, Defence Secretary John Healey introduced the Atlantic Bastion initiative, a high-tech naval force aimed at safeguarding undersea cables and pipelines from Russian submarine threats. Additionally, the UK entered the Lunna House defense pact with Norway to bolster protection against similar risks.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) reported a 30% increase in Russian naval activities near UK waters over the past two years. Apart from the vessels near the UK coast, Britain deployed three Poseidon surveillance aircraft to Iceland as part of a NATO mission to monitor Russian naval activities in the North Atlantic and Arctic regions.
In preceding instances, Portsmouth-based patrol ship HMS Mersey, along with helicopters from 815 and 824 Naval Air Squadrons, shadowed the Russian submarine Novorossiysk in July as it sailed through UK waters. In November, HMS Severn intercepted the Russian corvette RFN Stoikiy and the tanker Yelnya as they navigated through the Dover Strait into the English Channel before transferring monitoring duties to a NATO ally off the coast of Brittany.
Defence Secretary Healey recently raised concerns after the Russian spy ship Yantar was detected off the coast of Scotland, where it directed lasers at RAF pilots surveilling its movements. He condemned the Yantar’s actions as perilous and issued a stern warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasizing the readiness of UK forces in case of further provocations.
The Russian Embassy in London retaliated, accusing the British government of fueling militaristic tensions and potentially hazardous circumstances. The embassy defended the Yantar as an oceanographic research vessel operating in international waters and denied any threats to Britain’s security.