Royal Navy finds suspected Russian sensors near U.K., boosts seabed monitoring as part of response to rising hybrid threats from Moscow.
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
British defense officials have uncovered suspected Russian spy devices in the waters surrounding the UK
0:06
The discovery comes amid intelligence suggesting oligarch-owned superyachts may have aided Russian
0:12
efforts to monitor nuclear submarines and critical infrastructure, part of what officials describe
0:18
as a growing campaign of underwater espionage. The Royal Navy discovered some devices during
0:24
operations while others washed ashore, according to the Sunday Times. Officials believe Russia
0:30
planted them to track the UK's nuclear-armed Vanguard submarines, which maintain the country's
0:35
continuous at-sea deterrent. British military sources cited in the report say the findings
0:41
reflect a broader Russian campaign of underwater espionage that includes the use of unmanned
0:47
vehicles and deep-sea submarines. The UK Defense Ministry has not publicly disclosed the locations
0:53
of the sensors but maintains the country's nuclear deterrent remains undetected. In addition
0:59
officials suspect Russian oligarch superyachts have conducted recognizance near UK ports The Times reports that some yachts carried moon pools or underwater access hatches which crews could have used to
1:12
deploy surveillance equipment. One former minister recalled a 2018 incident where a British warship
1:19
left port in Cyprus after a nearby superyacht raised suspicion of intelligence gathering
1:24
The Royal Navy has increased surveillance, deploying the deep-sea vessel RFA Proteus to monitor threats
1:32
The ship has tracked the Russian spy vessel Yantar multiple times. Yantar is capable of interfering with undersea cables
1:40
To counter the threat, the Ministry of Defense is investing in unmanned submarines, surveillance drones
1:46
and partnerships with private industry to better protect infrastructure. Officials say these actions reflect Russia's broader gray zone strategy
1:55
covert operations designed to avoid direct conflict while destabilizing Western security. For more of our unbiased straight fact reporting
2:04
download the Straight Arrow News app today or log on to san.com
#news
#Politics
#Intelligence & Counterterrorism
#Navy
#World News


