Russian spy ship maps European undersea cables

The Russian spy ship Yantar was apparently on a three-month surveillance mission through European waters last November, systematically mapping critical underwater infrastructure. As the Financial Times reported, citing security circles, the blue and white ship sailed from the Russian Kola Peninsula around Norway, through the English Channel, and into the Mediterranean, scouting out undersea cables that NATO countries rely on for internet connections, energy supplies, and military communications.

Satellite images from the European Space Agency (ESA) show the Yantar on 14 November in the Irish Sea, where it was operating over cables without a position signal. According to the FT, radar images from the Sentinel-1 satellite show that the ship was traveling slowly over the underwater cables, trying to conceal its activities. The spy ship was also identified between Norway and the strategically important Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic via cable connections.

According to security circles, the Yantar belongs to the secret Russian military division GUGI (Glavnoye Upravlenie Glubokovodnikh Issledovanii), which is said to be responsible for deep-sea operations. This unit has around 50 vehicles, including submarines and smaller submersibles, which can reach depths of up to 6,000 meters—more than ten times deeper than conventional military submarines. The vessel, disguised as a research vessel, is said to be equipped with extensive surveillance equipment, including unmanned underwater vehicles for seabed surveys.

Back in January, British Defense Secretary John Healey publicly warned of “growing Russian aggression” after the Yantar was spotted in British waters near critical infrastructure. In response, the Royal Navy deployed warships for surveillance and even deployed an Astute-class nuclear submarine as a deterrent.

Increased activity since the end of 2023

Military analysis shows that the Yantar was part of a larger Russian surveillance campaign, with several Russian naval vessels monitoring British waters for 13 months. After a lull in 2022 and 2023, Russia significantly stepped up its underwater espionage activities again.

The threat to undersea cables is particularly critical, as 99% of the UK's digital communications are carried over these links. Worldwide, 1.7 million kilometers of undersea cables transport virtually all international data traffic. Experts warn of the far-reaching consequences of possible acts of sabotage on national economies and free access to information.

Technical surveillance and sabotage risks

According to experts, Russian spy ships can carry out a wide range of covert operations. In addition to mapping underwater infrastructure for potential acts of sabotage, the data collected could also be used for military invasion plans—to interrupt power supplies or disrupt emergency communications, for example.

In response to the growing threat, NATO countries are developing new protective measures. Denmark is already using autonomous surface drones to monitor the North Sea and Baltic Sea, while the Royal Navy is testing underwater robots to protect pipelines and submarine cables. These can not only recognize changes to the infrastructure but also remove explosive charges.

(mki)