Controversial Russian spy ship monitored off the South West coast

An image of Russian ship Yantar, taken by the MoD when it was tracked through the English Channel in 2018 by HMS Diamond and helicopters from RNAS Yeovilton
-Credit: (Image: LPhot Kyle Heller/Royal Navy/MoD/Crown copyright/PA Wire)


One of the Russian Navy’s most notorious and controversial spy ships - which is capable of launching covert mini-subs - is currently off the coast of South Devon, and the RAF have sent a reconnaissance aircraft to track her.

The Yantar, a ‘special purpose intelligence collection ship’, is currently heading west down the English Channel and was spotted off the coast of South Devon.

The RAF sent a Poseidon marine patrol aircraft all the way from Lossiemouth in the far north of Scotland to fly around an area south of Start Point in Devon and Lizard Point in Cornwall, earlier this weekend.

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Sources at the MoD confirmed the presence of the ship, but said it was routine, the UK military was aware, but would not comment on on-going operations. A Royal Navy spokesperson said: “The Royal Navy routinely monitors UK territorial waters and the adjacent sea areas to ensure compliance with maritime law, to deter malign activity and to protect our national interests.”

FlightRadar24 site tracking a Falcon01 RAF Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft from Lossiemouth in northern Scotland (in orange) to a location in the English Channel where the Russian spy ship Yantar was located
FlightRadar24 site tracking a Falcon01 RAF Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft from Lossiemouth in northern Scotland (in orange) to a location in the English Channel where the Russian spy ship Yantar was located -Credit:FlightRadar24

The Yantar is a 107m long ship with a top speed of just 15 knots, but is considered to be the most high-tech vessel in the Russian fleet.

It is the launch pad for two deep-diving autonomous underwater vehicles, and a crew of 60 since it began operations in 2015. In that time, it has become known for being in positions near undersea telecommunications cables - off Guantanamo Bay in Cuba in 2015, along the Norwegian Coast and in 2017 near an undersea cable linking Israel to Cyprus.

In February, the Brazilian Navy found Yantar near submarine cables close to Rio de Janeiro, and in 2021, it was spotted off the coast of Ireland near a key communications cable on the seabed.

MarineTraffic site showing the tracking location of Yantar
MarineTraffic site showing the tracking location of Yantar -Credit:MarineTraffic

In September last year, Yantar was involved in an incident which the Norwegian Polar Institute classed as ‘harassment’ as it shadowed a Norwegian polar research vessel.

In 2018, Yantar was closely followed as it went through the English Channel, with HMS Diamond remaining close to her, and helicopters from RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset flying over her in support.