US Ally Scares Off Russian ‘Shadow’ Vessel Prowling Near Key Link To America

A Russian ship was forced out of British waters by the Royal Navy after it anchored dangerously close to undersea data cables critical to communications between Europe and the U.S.

The Russian cargo vessel Sinegorsk sailed into the Bristol Channel late Tuesday and appeared to drop anchor roughly two miles off the coast of southwest England, according to The Telegraph. The move quickly raised alarms due to its position being less than a mile from multiple subsea cables that carry vast amounts of internet and data traffic between the U.K., the U.S., Canada, and parts of Europe.

British authorities ordered the vessel to leave after the Russian crew claimed it had stopped to conduct “essential safety repairs,” according to the outlet. On Wednesday afternoon, the Royal Navy escalated its response and dispatched a Wildcat helicopter, after which the Russian ship promptly raised anchor and sailed back out to sea.

“We are acutely aware of the threat posed by Russia, which includes attempts to map undersea cables, networks, and pipelines belonging to both the UK and our allies, and we are tackling these threats head on,” a Ministry of Defence spokesman told the outlet.

The ship’s anchoring spot was especially sensitive, sitting within three-quarters of a mile of five major undersea cables that include direct links from the U.K. to New York, Canada’s key telecom hub in Nova Scotia, and critical connections to Spain and Portugal.

Although Sinegorsk is not under U.K. sanctions and is not believed to be part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” Western governments have increasingly linked Russian vessels to suspicious activity near critical undersea infrastructure.