'Don't just observe Russia': UK urged to 'meet and resist' Putin after Royal Navy track Gugi spy submarines
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Spy submarines from Russia were tracked for a month before they retreated
Ministers have been criticised for not doing enough to deter Russian attacks in the North Atlantic.
The Liberal Democrats accused the UK government of appearing “frozen”, urging it “not just to observe Russia’s activities, but to meet and resist them”. It comes after defence secretary John Healey said the UK and allies had tracked a Russian attack submarine and two spy submarines, loitering over critical undersea cables in the North Atlantic, for a month before they retreated.
The incident involved a Russian Akula-class nuclear-powered attack submarine and two specialist submarines from Russia’s ministry of defence deep sea research programme, known as Gugi (Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research). Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS St Albans and supporting aircraft were deployed to monitor and deter the activity.
Speaking last week, John Healey said Russian President Vladimir Putin had sought to capitalise on the world being “distracted” by the Iran war and that he posed “the primary threat to UK security”. He said 500 British personnel were involved in the operation, during which RAF crews fly more than 50 sorties using P-8 Poseidon submarine-hunting aircraft, with support from allied countries including Norway.
In a statement to the Commons on Monday (April 13), defence minister Alistair Carns said: “The UK’s undersea network is highly resilient, but the threats are increasing, and so we’re stepping up our action to defend it.”
Liberal Democrat defence spokesman Callum Miller called on the Government to go further. He said: “We need much greater confidence that this government has the plan and resolve not just to observe Russia’s activities, but to meet and resist them should that be required.
“As Putin plans for future conflicts, our government appears frozen. Delay and inaction is sapping industry’s confidence, as well as our allies, whilst enabling Putin’s war machine in Ukraine.
“The government must remedy these failings as a matter of urgency, our national security and the sovereignty of our Ukrainian allies demand it. So I would like to ask the minister, will he commit to publishing a defence investment plan before the House prorogues?”
Mr Carns said Atlantic Bastion, which will create an advanced hybrid naval force to counter Russian undersea threats, is “moving in the right direction”. “We have worked exceptionally hard, and the Foreign Office are pushing as well, to sanction thousands of individuals within Russia, companies and of course vessels as well, to reduce their legal flow of resource coming back into Russia, which is funding that illegal and brutal war waged by Putin on Ukraine,” he added.
Shadow defence minister David Reed, Conservative, said it is “clear the government is not moving fast enough to deter our adversaries”. He added: “Deterrence requires capability, and capability requires funding. Now I know the minister has not had sight of the defence investment plan, but… can he at least tell the country when it will be published? Seven months delayed, this is something simply becoming a farce.”
Responding to a question by Labour MP Luke Charters who asked whether defence companies should get the finance they need, Mr Carns said: “New technology in Ukraine is driving change faster than ever before. Capabilities that were ordered perhaps previously may have to have their roles changed or adapted, and indeed, some of the capability we have now is outdated and needs replaced. That complexity is why the defence and investment plan is taking time, but it will come, and when it does, it will be fantastic.”
Tory grandee Sir Bernard Jenkins also questioned whether the UK had summoned the Russian ambassador or expelled diplomats over the submarines. Mr Carns defended the government’s response in calling out the Russian submarines as “probably the most effective deterrence that we’ve done”, insisting it would reduce the Kremlin’s ability to “do something and then deny it”.