UK Defence Secretary John Healey announced that three Russian submarines conducted a covert operation targeting undersea cables and pipelines north of the UK. The Royal Navy deployed assets, including HMS St Albans and Merlin helicopters, to monitor and deter this "malign" activity, which involved an Akula class submarine as a diversion and two GUGI spy submarines for surveillance. While the UK has no evidence of damage to its critical infrastructure, Healey directly warned Russia that any attempt to damage these vital assets would face severe consequences. The Russian embassy in London denied the claims, stating Russia is not threatening underwater infrastructure. This incident highlights concerns about Russia's "hybrid warfare" tactics, aimed at disrupting Western nations' support for Ukraine.