UK says Russia ran submarine operation over cables and pipelines

UK Says Russia Conducted Submarine Activity Over Cables and Pipelines

British Defence Secretary John Healey disclosed that three Russian submarines executed a covert mission near the UK’s undersea cables and energy pipelines, located north of the country. He emphasized that the operation was aimed at monitoring rather than attacking, with no evidence of harm to UK infrastructure in the Atlantic. The UK’s military response included deploying a warship and aircraft to intercept the submarines, he stated.

Russian Submarine Tactics Exposed

Healey highlighted that Russia employed an Akula-class submarine as a distraction while two Guggi-class vessels conducted surveillance on critical infrastructure. When the first Akula submarine was tracked, it retreated to Russian waters, leaving the Guggi subs to continue their mission. The Royal Navy utilized a Type 23 frigate, HMS St Albans, and the RFA Tidespring, alongside Merlin helicopters, to monitor all three submarines.

“We see you. We see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences,” Healey stated during a press conference at Downing Street.

Global Infrastructure at Risk

Undersea cables and pipelines are vital to global connectivity and energy distribution. Over 600 cables span 870,000 miles (1.4 million km), transporting data and electricity across oceans. The UK relies heavily on such networks, with 90% of its internet traffic passing through 60 cables that land along its coast, notably in East Anglia and South West England. Additionally, the nation depends on underwater gas pipelines in the North Sea for energy, including the 724-mile Langeled pipeline linking Norway and the UK. Approximately 77% of the UK’s gas imports originate from Norway via these subsea routes.

Healey noted that the operation coincided with global attention on the Middle East conflict, suggesting Russia aimed to exploit the distraction. He asserted that Moscow remains the primary threat to UK security, emphasizing the UK’s ability to track and expose future covert actions. “We watched them, we were able to track them, and we dropped sonar buoys to demonstrate that we were monitoring every hour of their operation,” he added.

The concept of hybrid warfare involves anonymous, deniable attacks targeting critical systems without direct attribution. BBC InDepth revealed in 2025 that Russia has been engaging in such strategies against the UK and Western Europe, seeking to deter continued military support for Ukraine. The Russian embassy has previously claimed it is “not interested in British underwater communications,” though recent actions suggest otherwise.