Three Russian submarines carried out a ‘covert’ operation shadowing undersea cables north of the UK for over a month, the Defence Secretary revealed today. 

John Healey said the vessels had been spotted in the North Atlantic, with a warship and aircraft deployed in response. 

Addressing Vladimir Putin directly, he said his secret operation had been ‘exposed’, with the subs ‘monitored 24/7’ before retreating. 

Mr Healey told a press conference in Downing Street that in the past few weeks, while many eyes were trained on the Middle East crisis, the UK, in partnership with Norway and other allies, responded to ‘increased Russian activity’ in the Atlantic.

This involved a Russian Akula-class nuclear-powered attack submarine and two specialist submarines from Russia’s ministry of defence deep sea research programme known as GUGI (Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research).

John Healey revealed the ‘covert’ Russian operation in a media briefing at 9 Downing Street 

A Russian Akula-class nuclear-powered attack submarine in waters near Norway in 2022  

Putin pictured today handing Russia highest medal to 23-year-old soldier Alexei Asylkhanov

Mr Healey said: ‘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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘Those GUGI submarines have now left UK waters and headed back north.’

He said the month-long operation had now concluded.

He added: ‘And 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.

‘And I’m confident, we have no evidence that there has been any damage, but with allies, were sure that this is now verifiable.’