The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom has uncovered spy devices washed ashore, which Russia reportedly placed to monitor British submarines.

The Telegraph reported on this.

According to the Royal Navy, these sensors were part of Russia’s efforts to track the UK’s submarine fleet, a vital component of the nation’s nuclear deterrence strategy.

These devices are currently being regarded as a threat to the national security of the United Kingdom. In response, operations have been launched to detect them, as well as to monitor potential submarine exit routes from the Faslane base.

The Sunday Times, citing anonymous sources, previously reported that Russia is attempting to gather information on the UK’s Vanguard-class nuclear submarines, which carry intercontinental ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads.

As of today, the Royal Navy has only one operational submarine, while three others are at various stages of maintenance and repair. Due to issues in the defense industry, repair timelines have been significantly delayed, with maintenance of certain submarines taking five years or more.

As noted by The Telegraph, Russia has a specialized fleet capable not only of damaging underwater communications but also of creating entire underwater monitoring systems.

In addition, the Russian navy’s reconnaissance ships have much broader capabilities than the British and are better equipped than most NATO countries.

It should be noted that Russia also involves civilian tankers in intelligence activities and the installation of corresponding surveillance equipment. The Finnish Coast Guard detained one such tanker.

It was discovered that the vessel was equipped with special transmitting and receiving devices. During its passage through the English Channel, the crew of the detained tanker, Eagle S, dropped “sensor-type devices” into the sea.

Sources from Lloyd’s List reported that, to their knowledge, the equipment never returned to the ship after being removed for analysis. Meanwhile, other devices were placed on another associated tanker, Swiftsea Rider.

The fleet of nuclear submarines of the United Kingdom

As of today, the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom consists of nine nuclear submarines: four Vanguard-class submarines and five multi-role Astute-class nuclear submarines.

Of this number, only two submarines are currently ready for sea duty. One of them is a Vanguard-class submarine, which remains at sea as part of the nuclear deterrence operation. Three other submarines of this class are undergoing repairs and maintenance.

The other operational submarine is HMS Anson, which has recently joined the fleet. The remaining four Astute-class submarines are currently undergoing maintenance. This low percentage of operational submarines is due to serious issues in British shipbuilding, as well as a shortage of qualified specialists and facilities for maintenance.

All the mentioned submarines are based at the HM Naval Base Clyde, known as Faslane, located on the west coast of Scotland, approximately 40 km west of Glasgow. This site was chosen for its strategic location, providing quick access to the North Atlantic through the North Channel.