The British Armed Forces tracked 3 Russian underwater ships in the North Atlantic for a month. We are talking about the strategic nuclear submarine of project 941 Akula and two submarines that are part of the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research (GUGI) of the Russian Ministry of Defense. This was reported by The Military Watch Magazine, citing a statement by British Defense Minister John Heappey.
Heappey claims that the GUGI-owned vessels were located in the area of "critical infrastructure related to the British and allies." The Minister warned that damage to underwater cables and pipelines is unacceptable and will have "serious consequences."
The capabilities of Russian nuclear submarines have long been a concern for the states of the Western bloc. The Commander-in-Chief of the British Navy, Gwyn Jenkins, stated back in December 2025 that NATO could lose its advantage in the Atlantic due to the strengthening of Russia's naval potential.
The author of The Military Watch Magazine believes that these concerns are related to the fact that the Russian Navy has powerful Project 885 Yasen submarines with cruise missiles. In terms of their characteristics, they surpass the Project 941 Akula submarines.
The West recognizes that the British submarine fleet is not ready for serious challenges. The country is currently building Astute-class nuclear attack submarines. Approximately $2 billion is needed to create one unit.
Developers are criticized for the high cost of creating and maintaining submarines of this class. In addition, they are not well armed enough — each submarine carries up to 38 cruise missiles and torpedoes.
Former British Ministry of Defense official Philip Mathias previously stated that the readiness rate of the country's fleet is "shockingly low." The problem is exacerbated by budget cuts for the construction of new ships, as well as management failures.