A Russian naval vessel is currently positioned approximately 30 miles off the British coastline, in close proximity to an offshore wind farm that supplies power to over 400,000 homes. The Kremlin's Amur-class repair ship, designated PM-82, is situated near the Galloper wind farm off the coast of Suffolk.
Details of the Russian Repair Ship
The 122-metre floating workshop, designed to maintain Vladimir Putin's Baltic fleet of warships, represents the latest manoeuvre in what is being described as a 'grey war' between Russia and the UK and the West. Previous actions have included sailing through British waters and mapping undersea cables.
Increased Russian Naval Activity
Last week, the head of the Royal Navy, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, warned that Russian incursions into UK waters had increased by a third over just two years. He stated: 'In 2025 alone the Royal Navy was required to respond dozens of times, pitting homeland defence against Russian Navy vessels. It is Russia's investment in its submarine programme that poses the most acute threat. Our submarines are spending a substantial amount of time responding to Russia subsurface activities.'
The repair ship, one of 18 believed to be in the Russian navy, is designed for the upkeep of warships and submarines. John Foreman, the UK's former defence attaché to Moscow, told The i that the ship may be 'waiting to escort' sanctioned vessels through the region, making the 'chances of UK action' to seize illicit ships 'even more remote'.
NATO and Royal Navy Response
Commander Arlo Abrahamson, spokesperson for NATO's Allied Maritime Command, confirmed that the military alliance is 'watching these activities closely and sharing information with our allies to assist their efforts in monitoring this vessel'. He added: 'Allied Maritime Command operates as a maritime hub for the alliance and our objective is to enhance maritime situational awareness in waters throughout the Euro-Atlantic.'
This morning, the British anti-submarine frigate HMS Sutherland was dispatched to observe the Russian ship. The development follows the passage of eight sanctioned tankers, suspected of aiding Moscow's illicit oil networks, through the English Channel on Tuesday morning.
Concerns Over Critical Infrastructure
The repair ship was seen in the same location last month, sparking concerns that Putin may be targeting UK critical infrastructure at sea. There are fears that the vessel could serve as a makeshift bodyguard for Russian shadow tankers operating near Britain, preventing them from being boarded.
This incident comes after Russian navy vessels, including submarines, mapped UK undersea cabling in the North Sea for over a month. Defence Secretary John Healey stated that a nuclear-powered attack submarine and two spy submarines had been spotted in the North Atlantic, with a warship and aircraft deployed in response. Addressing the Russian President, Mr Healey said: 'We see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences.'
The submarines were within the UK's exclusive economic zone, which extends up to 200 nautical miles offshore, but not within Britain's territorial waters, which extend 12 nautical miles from the coast. The operation lasted more than a month, but no damage to the cables was sustained, Mr Healey confirmed.
Last month, a Russian warship, the Admiral Grigorovich, was seen escorting two shadow fleet vessels past Britain's south coast. The government has indicated that Britain is prepared to start intercepting members of Putin's shadow fleet as they pass through the English Channel, although no ships have yet been boarded. Other countries, including the US, France and Germany, have previously seized Russia-linked tankers. The Ministry of Defence has been contacted for comment.
