Russian ‘spy ship’ confronted off UK raises concerns

British warships confronted a Russian “spy ship,” raising concerns of attacks on undersea cables and of growing escalation in UK waters.

The British defense minister said the Yantar had been “mapping the UK’s critical underwater infrastructure” and that two surface ships and a submarine had warned it away.

Chinese- and Russian-linked ships have been accused of attacks on data cables and pipelines in the Baltic Sea and off Taiwan in recent months, and improved mapping of those cables would make such attacks easier.

The minister said that Britain had changed its rules of naval engagement, allowing warships closer to suspicious vessels: NATO has also stepped up surveillance of marine infrastructure to protect against sabotage.