Russian ambassador justifies Moscow’s surveillance of British submarines

Andrey Kelin, Russia’s ambassador to Britain, has not denied that Moscow is monitoring British submarines.

The BBC reports.

The ambassador did not deny allegations that Russian sensors were hidden in the seas around the UK in an attempt to track British submarines.

Kelin also dismissed the idea that such activity posed a threat to the UK.

Asked by BBC One Sunday’s Laura Kunsberg whether he disputed the claims, Kelin said: “No.”

“I’m not going to deny it, but I wonder if we really have an interest in monitoring all British submarines with very old, obsolete nuclear warheads… all these threats are grossly exaggerated,” he said.

Pressed by Kunsberg, the ambassador added: “I deny that there are any threats to the UK. This threat was fabricated, there is absolutely no threat from Russia to the UK.”

Kaelin’s admission follows an investigation published by the Sunday Times in early April, which detailed the discovery of Russian sensors in the seas around Britain.

In its investigation, the Sunday Times newspaper said the devices were likely planted by Moscow to try to gather intelligence on four British Vanguard nuclear-capable submarines.

The British military discovered the devices and considered them a potential threat to national security, the newspaper reported. The devices were described as part of a hybrid war waged by Russia. Other measures of such war could include damaging infrastructure assets such as energy pipelines.