John Healey warned Vladimir Putin that any attempt to sabotage undersea cables and pipelines would trigger "serious consequences," after British and allied forces tracked multiple Russian submarines operating near critical infrastructure in the North Atlantic, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The episode, involving an Akula-class nuclear-powered attack submarine and two specialist deep-sea vessels linked to Russia's Main Directorate of Deep Sea Research (GUGI), marks one of the most explicit public confrontations over subsea infrastructure security since the 2022 Nord Stream explosions heightened Western concerns.
At a press conference, Healey adopted an unusually direct tone. "I'm making this statement to call out this Russian activity," he said. "To President Putin, I say, 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."
British officials said the submarines were tracked continuously for weeks before returning toward Russian waters. Surveillance operations involved a Royal Navy warship and Royal Air Force P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, supported by allied assets, reflecting the growing priority placed on protecting seabed infrastructure that carries global internet traffic, financial data and energy supplies.
Healey described the operation as layered, suggesting the Akula submarine may have served as a diversion. He said it acted as a "likely decoy," drawing attention away from the more specialized GUGI vessels, which are designed for deep-sea operations and are often associated with undersea intelligence and engineering capabilities.
Those vessels, he said, "spent time over critical infrastructure relevant to us and our allies in the North Atlantic," raising concerns about potential reconnaissance or preparatory activity. Western defense analysts have increasingly focused on GUGI's capabilities, which include operating at extreme depths and interacting with seabed installations.
The UK response was calibrated to both deter and signal visibility. "In response to the Russian submarines, I can confirm that I deployed our armed forces to track and to deter any malign activity by these vessels," Healey said.
He emphasized the transparency of the monitoring effort. "A Royal Navy warship and Royal Air Force P8 aircraft alongside allies ensured that the Russian submarines were monitored 24/7. The Akula submarine subsequently retreated home, having been closely tracked throughout, and we continued to monitor the two GUGI submarines in and around wider UK waters."
According to Healey, the operation was intended to strip away any perception of stealth. "Our armed forces left them in no doubt that they were being monitored, that their movements were not covert, as President Putin planned, and that their attempted secret operation had been exposed," he said. "Those GUGI submarines have now left UK waters and headed back north."
Despite the heightened rhetoric, British officials stressed that no damage has been detected. "Because we were watching them, we wanted to ensure that we could warn them that their covert operation had been exposed and reduce the risk that they may attempt any action that could damage our pipelines or our cables," Healey said. "And I'm confident, we have no evidence that there has been any damage, but with allies, we're sure that this is now verifiable."
