Russia prepares UK payback for Nordstream sabotage
Fri 6:47 pm +00:00, 10 Apr 2026Over the course of 10-days, an impressively coordinated fleet of highly technical Royal Navy vessels and helicopters had front row seats as the Kremlin performed emboldened activities in UK waters.
While the Ministry of Defence’s month-long operation with allies including Norway is seen as a success – Russia was deterred from damaging any of the UK’s vital underwater data cables – it highlights Britain’s vulnerability at sea, and raises concerns about Vladimir Putin’s willingness to test Downing Street’s resolve.
Undeterred by its audience of Royal Navy ships and helicopters, four Russian Navy vessels, including a submarine, mapped UK undersea cabling in the North Sea and shipped military supplies through the English Channel. The UK shadowed and monitored, but they didn’t intervene.
Defence Secretary John Healey was quick to brand the activity as a victory, pointing to the Russian submarine’s return home, and emphasizing that the UK had successfully exposed what he described as a “covert operation”.
However, despite Britain promising a “crackdown” on illicit Russian ships in UK waters, Russia is becoming increasingly willing to push that pledge to its limit.
Moscow’s fleet of shadow vessels and warships have continued to loiter over critical undersea cables, and transport oil through the Channel in a test that seems well timed.
Donald Trump has eased sanctions on countries buying Russian oil, a decision that critics say will enrich Putin and prolong the war in Ukraine.
Now the President is considering charging ships using the Strait of Hormuz after the Iran war, a move that would likely require direct US military control over the strategic waterway. As the UK weighs its role in safeguarding shipping through the Gulf, Healey acknowledged that Moscow is testing Britain’s ability to manage simultaneous threats.
Healey said: “I’m pretty clear that Putin would want us to be distracted by the Middle East. We will not take our eyes off Putin, whilst at the same time we act to protect our British interests and our British allies in the Middle East.”
The Russian President has good reason to think we would let our guard slip. After all, the US President described Britain’s warships as “toys”, and the deployment of Britain’s Type 45, HMS Dragon, to the Middle East was marred by technical difficulties.
But the Royal Navy showed its might. The surveillance operation demonstrated skill and coordination, but monitoring adversaries is one thing, deterring them is a whole new challenge.
As Russia continues to find Downing Street’s red line, the UK may soon be forced to make a choice about how far it is willing to go in defending its waters.
NEXT – Alexander Mercouris says UK drops plans to seize Russian ships.
