Royal Navy: HMS Tyne and Somerset stalk Russian spy ship Yantar which was "loitering" over UK undersea cables

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
Beady eyes from Royal Navy ships have been glaring at a Russian spy ship which has been “loitering” near the south coast.

Defence secretary John Healey gave details about the activities of the Moscow-affiliated surveillance vessel Yantar, which he said is “used for gathering intelligence and mapping the UK’s critical underwater infrastructure”. The vessel is currently being tracked by HMS Tyne and HMS Somerset, who started their mission on Monday (January 20).

Mr Healey said this is the second time Yantar has entered UK waters in recent months, with a Royal Navy submarine having to surface to ward off the vessel. With her recent visit, Mr Healey said he changed the Royal Navy’s rules of engagement to allowing shadowing vessels to get closer.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Royal Navy frigate HMS Somerset flanking Russian ship Yantar near UK waters, with Portsmouth-based ship HMS Tyne also deployed to keep her eyes on the vessel.Royal Navy frigate HMS Somerset flanking Russian ship Yantar near UK waters, with Portsmouth-based ship HMS Tyne also deployed to keep her eyes on the vessel.
Royal Navy frigate HMS Somerset flanking Russian ship Yantar near UK waters, with Portsmouth-based ship HMS Tyne also deployed to keep her eyes on the vessel. | Royal Navy/PA Wire

The defence secretary said: “The foreign ship Yantar is currently in the North Sea having passed through British waters. Let me be clear, this is a Russian spy ship used for gathering intelligence and mapping the UK’s critical underwater infrastructure. Yantar entered the UK exclusive economic zone about 45 miles off the British coast on Monday.

“For the last two days the Royal Navy has deployed HMS Somerset and HMS Tyne to monitor the vessel every minute through our waters. I changed the Royal Navy’s rules of engagement so that our warships can get closer and better track the Yantar. So far, the ship has complied with international rules of navigation.”

Mr Healey warned Vladimir Putin “we see you, we know what you are doing and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country”. “In November, the ship was also closely watched and detected loitering over UK critical undersea infrastructure,” the Labour MP for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough said.

RFA Proteus monitoring Russian ship Yanter in November 2024.RFA Proteus monitoring Russian ship Yanter in November 2024.
RFA Proteus monitoring Russian ship Yanter in November 2024. | Royal Navy/PA Wire

“To deter any potential threat, I took measured steps. I can confirm to the House that I authorised a Royal Navy submarine, strictly as a deterrent measure, to surface close to the Yantar to make clear that we had been covertly monitoring its every move. The ship then left UK waters without further loitering and sailed down to the Mediterranean.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The submarine is understood to have been one of the UK’s Astute-class nuclear-powered attack boats. The UK and Nato allies are increasingly concerned about the risk Russia poses to offshore cables, pipelines and other infrastructure. P-8 Poseidon and Rivet Joint spy planes will join the Nato operation to protect undersea cabling in the Baltic Sea, while survey and surveillance ship RFA Proteus has also been deployed to monitor offshore infrastructure. Britain is currently leading a task force to monitor the Russian shadow fleet.

The Defence Secretary said Russia was “dangerous but fundamentally weak”, as he referenced the casualties the country had suffered during the war in Ukraine and its decision to draft in troops from North Korea. He said: “Russia remains the most pressing and immediate threat to Britain, and I want to assure the House and the British people that any threat will be met with strength and resolve.” Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said the change to the Navy’s rules of engagement “sends a powerful signal to Putin that we will not be intimidated and that if his aim is to keep pushing the boundaries of malign activity in our waters, and those proximate to us, we will respond”.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

News you can trust since 1877
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice