This was reported by The Times in a publication outlining how russia may be using its maritime capabilities to prepare for potential acts of sabotage against the UK.
According to the report, British military personnel recently detected several sensors in the sea, which are believed to be russian espionage devices. Some of the sensors had broken off their mounts and were washed ashore by waves, where they were subsequently recovered. Others were located by the Royal Navy.
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Journalists chose not to disclose the exact locations of the devices or provide additional details due to national security concerns.
The military believes that the sensors were deployed by russian operatives to collect information on British nuclear submarines - one of which is always on patrol as part of the UK’s strategic deterrence posture.
The article also details the threat russia may pose to NATO through its advanced underwater capabilities, which Moscow has continued to develop since the Cold War. Russia reportedly possesses highly sophisticated tools for undersea warfare and espionage - some of which may even surpass the capabilities of the UK and other NATO allies.
It is further noted that, even before russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin had begun preparing for a potential conflict with NATO. This preparation included surveillance and sabotage planning targeting critical undersea infrastructure.
“There should be no doubt - a war is already underway in the Atlantic... We are seeing unprecedented levels of russian activity,” said one high-ranking British military official.
Other sources revealed credible intelligence indicating that, before February 2022, yachts owned by russian oligarchs may have been involved in espionage operations in British waters. Some of these vessels were reportedly equipped with the necessary technology to deploy or retrieve underwater surveillance equipment.
The report also highlights offshore wind farms - currently providing one-fifth of the UK’s electricity—as a potential target for russian sabotage. These facilities rely on underwater cables to transmit electricity to the mainland. Similar risks exist for undersea oil and gas pipelines, particularly those supplying energy from Norway, which could face attacks similar to the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines.
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