British Defense Minister John Healey stated that Russian submarines allegedly threaten shipping in the North Atlantic. On April 9, he warned that any attempt to damage critical underwater infrastructure such as cables or pipelines is unacceptable.
Healy added that British forces and their allies, including Norway, have been monitoring the vessels. The minister noted that Russian submarines left the area of British waters without damaging maritime infrastructure.
On March 23, Russia’s Foreign Ministry identified Australia and Korea’s plans to expand nuclear submarine fleets as the biggest danger in the Asia-Pacific region. The ministry asserted that Western countries’ actions systematically violate international principles of freedom of navigation.
Additionally, the ministry alleged that the European Union coined the term “shadow fleet,” which does not exist under international maritime law, using it to reduce Russian trade revenues and enable piracy on shipping routes.
The Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that any attempt to turn the Baltic Sea and other waters into “internal waters” of NATO or the EU will be followed by an appropriate response utilizing all necessary means.
