Royal Navy Expresses Concern Over Formidable Russian Superyachts – Times
The UK has raised concerns that luxury vessels may be engaged in spying on its nuclear submarines, according to a report from The Sunday Times on Saturday, which cites three defense sources. The Royal Navy possesses “credible intelligence”...
TroibNews 
The UK has raised concerns that luxury vessels may be engaged in spying on its nuclear submarines, according to a report from The Sunday Times on Saturday, which cites three defense sources.
The Royal Navy possesses “credible intelligence” indicating that prior to the onset of Russia's military actions in Ukraine in 2022, a yacht might have been utilized “to conduct underwater reconnaissance around Britain,” as stated by the Times.
The report hints that certain vessels may feature moon pools that could be discreetly employed for the launch and retrieval of deep-sea reconnaissance and diving apparatus.
An unnamed foreign minister is quoted by the Times, recounting that in 2018, the amphibious assault ship HMS Albion had to depart from the port of Limassol in Cyprus prematurely when “a huge superyacht belonging to an oligarch pulled up alongside it.”
According to the newspaper, the Navy has identified numerous sensors in the waters around the UK that it suspects are of Russian origin. British officials theorize that Moscow is conducting surveillance on the UK's four nuclear-capable Vanguard submarines.
Earlier this year, The Sun reported that the Royal Navy undertook an extended search after detecting sounds it believed to be from a Russian stealth submarine, only to later find that the noises were produced by a farting whale.
In 2014, Sweden initiated a significant operation searching for a presumed Russian submarine, which ultimately turned out to be a civilian vessel.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
The Royal Navy possesses “credible intelligence” indicating that prior to the onset of Russia's military actions in Ukraine in 2022, a yacht might have been utilized “to conduct underwater reconnaissance around Britain,” as stated by the Times.
The report hints that certain vessels may feature moon pools that could be discreetly employed for the launch and retrieval of deep-sea reconnaissance and diving apparatus.
An unnamed foreign minister is quoted by the Times, recounting that in 2018, the amphibious assault ship HMS Albion had to depart from the port of Limassol in Cyprus prematurely when “a huge superyacht belonging to an oligarch pulled up alongside it.”
According to the newspaper, the Navy has identified numerous sensors in the waters around the UK that it suspects are of Russian origin. British officials theorize that Moscow is conducting surveillance on the UK's four nuclear-capable Vanguard submarines.
Earlier this year, The Sun reported that the Royal Navy undertook an extended search after detecting sounds it believed to be from a Russian stealth submarine, only to later find that the noises were produced by a farting whale.
In 2014, Sweden initiated a significant operation searching for a presumed Russian submarine, which ultimately turned out to be a civilian vessel.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
Discover more Science and Technology news updates in TROIB Sci-Tech
