British Navy reports that a Russian intelligence vessel has entered UK waters for the second time

The British Navy announced on Wednesday that it is enhancing its efforts to safeguard its waters from covert Russian operations after detecting a Russian spy vessel in UK waters for the second time in a matter of weeks.

The spy ship, named Yantar, traversed the English Channel this week, as reported by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). During its passage, it was accompanied by HMS Somerset, according to the ministry’s statement.

The Yantar had previously entered British waters in November, where it reportedly lingered near critical undersea infrastructure. Following a warning from a British submarine, it departed for the Mediterranean but has since returned.

This incident occurs amid increasing fears of Russian sabotage in international waters, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and a series of related incidents in the Baltic Sea.

British Defence Secretary John Healey emphasized that the UK is bolstering its defenses for cables and other offshore infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, deploying maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft to support NATO’s initiatives.

“My message to President Putin is unequivocal. We are aware of your actions, and we will not hesitate to take decisive measures to protect Britain,” Healey stated on Wednesday.

He also mentioned the deployment of an advanced AI system, referred to as Nordic Warden, for this purpose. This initiative was revealed by the British government following damage to the Estlink2 undersea cable connecting Estonia and Finland in December.

“In collaboration with our Joint Expeditionary Force and NATO allies, we are enhancing our response to ensure that Russian vessels and aircraft cannot operate undetected near UK or NATO territories.

“We will persist in exposing the harmful activities orchestrated by Putin, working to dismantle the Russian shadow fleet to obstruct funding for his unlawful invasion of Ukraine.”