The UK navy has forced Russia to abandon a secret submarine operation in the North Sea after a month-long military effort, defence secretary John Healey has said.
The comments came amid wider questions about Russia’s maritime activity and the UK’s response to the so-called shadow fleet, which carries oil that is sold to help fund the war in Ukraine.
In interviews on Thursday morning, foreign secretary Yvette Cooper declined to confirm reports that a Russian warship had been escorting two sanctioned Russian ships through the English Channel.
Asked about the reports, Cooper said the government had now given permission for action to be taken against the Russian shadow fleet, but that operational decisions would still need to be made by the military in the proper way.
She also said there were signs not only of how the Russian shadow fleet was operating, but of broader Russian threats to the UK and to Europe more widely.
Pressure on Russian maritime activity
The government recently announced that the armed forces have been authorised to board sanctioned Russian ships in British waters to stop them. Those ships are understood to be carrying oil being sold to support Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.
The latest comments point to an increasingly assertive UK stance toward Russian activity at sea, with ministers highlighting both immediate operational risks and wider security concerns.
Healey’s remarks about the North Sea operation suggest the Royal Navy has already been active in disrupting Russian military activity, while Cooper’s comments indicate that ministers are preparing for further action against vessels linked to sanctions-busting trade.
The exchange adds to growing scrutiny of Russian manoeuvres in and around British waters, and to the UK government’s efforts to respond through both military and diplomatic channels.
