The Royal Navy intercepted a Russian spy ship, identified as the Vishnya-class intelligence-gathering vessel Viktor Leonov, off the coast of Scotland. The vessel was detected closely monitoring NATO war games, according to a statement from the Royal Navy.
Merlin helicopters were dispatched from Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Culdrose to track the Viktor Leonov as it sailed near the Outer Hebrides from September 29 to October 8. The ship was reportedly observing NATO warships participating in Exercise Strike Warrior, a drill involving approximately 2,000 personnel from six allied nations.
Captain James Hall, commanding officer of RNAS Culdrose, stated, "I am immensely proud of the efforts of our people, who have once again demonstrated that the UK is prepared to respond to immediate operational requirements." He added that the operation was critical in showing "ourselves, our adversaries and the nation that we are willing and capable of securing the homeland 24/7."
The Merlin helicopter force recently underwent a £40 million upgrade, including the integration of state-of-the-art sonobuoys aimed at improving their capability to track Russian submarines.
This incident follows a pattern of increased Russian activity in and around British waters. In October, HMS Dauntless and HMS Tyne were deployed to track a Russian frigate, the Neustrashimy, and later the RFN Aleksandr Shabalin, as they escorted cargo ships through the Channel. An RAF Protector RG1 drone also monitored these foreign vessels for over 10 hours.
Overall, Russian activity in British waters has reportedly increased by 25 percent in the first seven months of the year compared to the same period in 2025. In June, Royal Marine Commandos seized a Russian tanker, the Smyrtos, which was suspected of trading sanctioned oil. These actions occur amid ongoing discussions about defense spending, with the UK aiming to reach a target of spending 3 percent of GDP on defense by the end of the decade.