One of Putin’s deadly submarines was detected in the English Channel as another display of Russian military strength, and was monitored by Royal Navy helicopters and a tanker.
The attack sub Novorossiysk was forced to sail back from the Mediterranean after Moscow lost use of a key port in Syria.
The diesel-electric powered sub was watched by Royal Navy Merlin sub-hunting choppers and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Tidespring.
The incident this month happened days before a Russian spy ship called Yantar reappeared in the Channel.
Just recently, the Royal Navy had to compel a nuclear submarine to rise next to that identical vessel in November to deter its advances, an occurrence disclosed by Defence Secretary John Healey to parliament the prior day.
Now, an image of the Russian assault submarine Novorossiysk has been disclosed following Britain’s promise of “strong action” in reaction to Russian naval surveillance of underwater cables.
A huge dark hull can be seen looming through the water’s surface with two sinister hooded figures presiding over it.
In the background is the Royal Navy’s tanker RFA Tidesurge which shadowed the submarine for days as it headed north up the channel.
Tidesurge joined forces with a specialised submarine hunting Merlin helicopter called Swordfish Flight.
Lieutenant Commander Mike Curd, the flight commander, said: “Shadowing Russian units passing close to the UK is routine business, and having the anti-submarine warfare specialists from the RN’s Merlin Helicopter Force embarked adds another layer of security and ability to track the submarine should it dive.
“The 814 Naval Air Squadron regularly embark their aircraft in Type 23 Frigates – and RFA units such as Tidesurge – both for training and routine constabulary operations around the British Isles.”
This was the second time in three weeks Tidesurge shepherded Russian vessels past the UK after it was scrambled on Christmas Day to monitor Putin’s Corvette RFS Soobrazitelny.
And yesterday, Healey revealed in parliament that one of the Royal Navy’s submarines surfaced near a Russian spy ship in November.
Healey said the spy ship called Yantar had been monitored loitering over UK critical national infrastructure and was “used for gathering intelligence”.
And he ordered HMS Astute, a Royal Navy nuclear powered sub, to surface yards away from the Yanatar in a dramatic show of force last year.
The Kremlin said that reports of Russian ships spying on British infrastructure in the channel were “absolutely unfounded”.
It had the cheek to accuse Britain of being the main perpetrator “destabilising and provocative actions” at sea.
The propaganda machine added: “We note that the wave of anti-Russian alarmism raised by the British establishment and the media controlled by them is being used by London and its allies to purposefully escalate tension in the Baltic and North Sea regions.”
It comes as the MoD is due to pledge £9bn for new nuclear reactors to power submarines.
Defence Secretary John Healey said the eight year deal with Rolls Royce will be “a clear demonstration of our commitment to the UK’s nuclear deterrent, which is our ultimate insurance policy in a more dangerous world”.
The reactors will supports new Dreadnought nuclear armed subs under constructions in Barrow-in-Furness.
It will also boost plans to build nuclear submarines for the Royal Australian Navy, the MoD said.
The government insisted the deal will create up to 1,000 jobs and safeguard 4,000 more.
The MoD said: “It is part of our national endeavour to maintain a continuous at sea deterrent.”
The Navy has four nuclear armed Vanguard class submarines armed with Trident 2 doomsday missiles.
One is always at sea, as a deterrent, ready to blast Britain‘a enemies to oblivion in the event of a nuclear first strike.
The ageing Vanguard subs, which first entered service 30 years ago, are due to be replaced by new Dreadnaught class subs in the 2030s.
Russia’s Navy is in turmoil after their ally Bashar Al-Assad was forced to flee Damascus by rebels.
Moscow had use of a key port in Tartus but Syria’s new rulers have scrapped deal.
The Russian cargo ship Ursa Major, reportedly sent to evacuate Tartus, sank in the Mediterranean last month.
