London accuses Russia of submarine operation against infrastructure
The British government has accused Russia of attempting to conduct a "covert operation" against British underwater cables and pipelines.
As stated by the UK Defense Minister John Healey at a press conference in London on Thursday, April 9, Russia, "under the cover of events in the Middle East," deployed three submarines to the coast of the United Kingdom and adjacent waters to carry out "malicious activities."
According to British authorities, the Russian operation began "several weeks ago" when a Russian nuclear submarine of the Shchuka-B project (Akula class according to NATO classification) entered international waters in the northern Atlantic. It was detected and placed under round-the-clock surveillance by British warships and aircraft. Military personnel "quickly established that this submarine was deployed as a diversionary maneuver," according to a statement from the UK Ministry of Defense.
Together with NATO allies, including Norway, London tracked two other underwater vessels in other areas, which are believed to belong to the naval units of the Main Directorate for Deep-Sea Research (GUGI) of the Russian Ministry of Defense. The submarines were engaged in "malicious activities concerning critically important underwater infrastructure," claims the British defense department, without specifying the exact nature of the infrastructure.
All three submarines have already "retreated and returned to base."
"The United Kingdom and its allies have launched a campaign of overt actions to make it clear to Russian units that they are being monitored and that their activities are no longer covert as Putin had planned," the British government stated. Following this, according to their data, both the Russian nuclear submarine of the Shchuka-B project and the two GUGI vessels "retreated and returned to base, unable to complete the operation under conditions of secrecy."
Addressing Russian President Vladimir Putin, the UK Defense Minister declared: "We see you, we see your activity around our cables and pipelines. And you must know that any attempt to cause damage will not go unpunished and will entail serious consequences."
Russia has rejected the UK’s accusations regarding threats from Russian submarines. The Russian Embassy stated that Moscow "does not threaten the underwater infrastructure" of the kingdom and "does not use aggressive rhetoric on this issue," as reported by the TASS news agency.
Source: DW
