British ship shadows Russian ship it’s designed to counter

A remarkable image has surfaced showing the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessel Proteus operating alongside the Russian spy ship Yantar in British waters, an encounter that underscores the UK’s efforts to counter covert maritime threats.

The meeting, which occurred recently, highlights the critical role Proteus plays in monitoring and deterring vessels like Yantar, known for its suspected intelligence-gathering missions targeting undersea infrastructure.

In a statement, the Ministry of Defence confirmed the central role of Proteus in safeguarding the UK’s maritime security. “The Royal Fleet Auxiliary, which supports Royal Navy operations, is a key element of the UK’s strategy to safeguard offshore infrastructure, with its multi-role ocean surveillance ship, RFA Proteus, capable of deploying submersible drones to assess undersea cables and pipelines,” the statement read.

It also noted that Proteus had previously “been involved in the shadowing of Yantar last November.”

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Yantar has drawn significant international scrutiny for its suspected role in mapping and targeting critical undersea infrastructure, such as the subsea cables and pipelines that underpin global communications and energy networks. This latest encounter follows a November incident where Yantar was tracked closely by the Royal Navy and Proteus after loitering near sensitive undersea sites in the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

Proteus is specifically designed to address such threats, equipped with advanced monitoring systems and submersible drones capable of assessing and safeguarding undersea assets.

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The recent encounter comes at a time of heightened maritime security measures, particularly following the suspected sabotage of the Estlink2 undersea cable in the Baltic Sea last Christmas. Such incidents have prompted the UK to bolster its efforts to protect vital offshore infrastructure, working alongside NATO allies to counter suspicious activity in European waters.

Defence Secretary John Healey has been vocal about the importance of countering these threats. “National security is our government’s first duty… Alongside our NATO allies, we are strengthening our response to ensure that Russian ships and aircraft cannot operate in secrecy near UK or NATO territory,” Healey said recently, adding, “We know what you are doing, and we will not shy away from robust action to protect Britain.”