Overview
- Defence Secretary John Healey said Thursday in Downing Street that the UK and allies tracked an Akula attack submarine and two GUGI specialist boats for a month before the vessels withdrew north.
- Officials said the subs lingered over cables and pipelines in the North Atlantic and reported no evidence of damage to the infrastructure, which moves most internet and financial traffic worldwide.
- The UK used HMS St Albans, RFA Tidespring, Merlin helicopters, RAF P-8 patrol aircraft and sonobuoys to maintain constant contact, with Norway contributing a P-8 and a frigate to the joint effort.
- Healey warned of serious consequences for any attempt to harm subsea infrastructure, while the Russian embassy rejected the UK’s account and denied threatening the cables.
- Following Wednesday’s sighting, a Russian frigate escorted sanctioned oil tankers through the English Channel as Britain retains new authority to seize so‑called shadow‑fleet ships transiting its waters.