Russian spy ship Yantar monitored by UK naval forces
The Russian spy ship Yantar, suspected of gathering information, including on underwater cables, has appeared near the coast of the United Kingdom. Defense Minister John Healey confirmed that the ship entered the country's exclusive economic zone, prompting the deployment of the frigate HMS Somerset and the patrol vessel HMS Tyne nearby. He also disclosed that at the end of last year, the British used one of their nuclear-powered submarines to send a clear message to Russia. The submarine surfaced next to Yantar.
John Healey stated that the vessel entered the United Kingdom's exclusive economic zone on Tuesday, January 21. The British defense minister described it as a Russian spy ship designed for intelligence gathering and surveillance of vital underwater infrastructure. He also mentioned that for the past two days, the Royal Navy has deployed HMS Somerset and HMS Tyne to continuously monitor the ship while it remains in UK waters.
Russian spy ship near the United Kingdom
This is not the first such incident near the United Kingdom involving the Russian spy ship Yantar, which is officially presented as a research vessel. A similar situation occurred in November 2024. As Healey revealed, the British then used one of their nuclear-powered submarines as a deterrent.
The War Zone noted that the British government's disclosure of any information about the operations of nuclear-powered submarines, especially regarding such sensitive observation missions, is rare. According to the service, this move was most likely to discourage Russia from further espionage activities targeting critical underwater infrastructure.
However, the British did not reveal which specific submarine was used to send this clear message to the Russians. Healey only recalled that at the end of 2024, Yantar's movements were tracked by other British units. These included the Hunt-class minehunter HMS Cattistock, the patrol vessel HMS Tyne, and the multi-role oceanographic ship RFA Proteus, designed to combat underwater threats.
British submarines
The War Zone believes that it was most likely one of the five currently active Astute-class submarines that surfaced near Yantar. These are some of the most technologically advanced units in their class, designed and built to give the Royal Navy an edge in underwater operations. Designed by BAE Systems at the shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, these submarines entered service in the early 21st century, replacing the older Trafalgar-class units.
The Astute-class submarines are equipped with nuclear propulsion, providing them with an almost unlimited operational range. The units can remain hidden underwater for many months. Their submerged displacement is about 8,200 tons, and they are nearly 328 feet long, making them among the largest submarines in the British fleet. Also noteworthy is their capability to reach speeds of around 35 mph, placing them among the fastest submarines in the world.
On board, they are equipped with Spearfish torpedoes, capable of eliminating both surface and underwater units, and Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles. The Tomahawks enable precise attacks on land targets up to a distance of 1,000 miles.
