A new FT investigation has revealed how a Russian "military spy ship" has been tracked surveilling and mapping undersea cables along Europe's Atlantic coastline, possibly with nefarious purposes that could involve intercepting communications from NATO allies.
Undersea cables have become a hot-button topic of global infrastructure ever since a series of high-profile incidents that involved the cutting of cables relied upon by nations for global connectivity. Famously, a cable connecting Finland and Sweden to Europe was severed last year, an act of sabotage recently pinned on the crew of a Russian 'shadow fleet' tanker charged with the act.
FT's report claims that the Yantar sailed from Russia's Kola Peninsula in November of 2024, disguised as a civilian craft. The report claims the vessel is a "military spy ship" decked out with "a full armoury of surveillance equipment." Its purpose? "...a mission to map and potentially intercept the undersea cables on which NATO allies rely for internet access, energy, military communications, and financial transactions."
The report cites radar data from European Space Agency satellites, which purportedly show the ship lurking over undersea cables in the Irish Sea in November of last year, "at a point in the voyage when the ship was seeking to hide its activities." The report claims the ship was also spotted over cables between Norway and Svalbard, a strategically notable location in the Arctic.
FT alleges Russia held back the capabilities of Yantar following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, perhaps because of sanctions or fear of escalating tensions. The report says the Yantar's activities fall under the purview of Glavnoye Upravlenie Glubokovodnikh Issledovanii (GUGI), which operates some 50 submarines, submersibles, and other crafts. According to the report, Yantar is just one of "several" vehicles that have spent months in UK waters conducting sustained surveillance around critical infrastructure like undersea cables, reflecting a broader heightened scene of activity in geopolitical affairs.
The report contains detailed maps documenting the Yantar's journey, including the aforementioned foray into the Irish Sea and stints in the English Channel as recently as this year. As the report notes, a country like the UK relies heavily on undersea conduits for data and raw materials like gas, with 99% of its digital communications and three-quarters of its gas supply funnelled along the sea floor. There are also more sensitive cables, like a US-UK network for tracking enemy submarines, the Integrated Undersea Surveillance System.
The report claims Yantar can drop "submersibles with manipulator arms" which can intercept information from them or even plant explosives. It's even possible Russia could interfere with timing signals sent along cables by interfering with the frequency of signals passing through, possibly disrupting high-frequency trading markets and other "time-sensitive industries."
The report details some of the history of the secretive GUGI outfit, and notes that Yantar has become a more conspicuous presence on the seas as its role has evolved. The report notes the Royal Navy is seeking funding for defensive sensors and underwater drones dubbed the "Atlantic Bastion" to protect undersea cables and its vital Trident nuclear submarines. Military experts cited in the report say that some countries have fallen behind the curve when it comes to deep-sea defense, citing "heightened concerns" that Russia may target cables to disrupt life in Western nations, notably in countries offering help and security to Ukraine.
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