The UK’s Royal Navy intercepted the Russian intelligence-gathering vessel "Viktor Leonov", which was observing NATO exercises off the coast of Scotland. Merlin military helicopters were deployed to track the ship.
This is reported by The Telegraph.
The Russian "Vishnya"-class vessel was near the Outer Hebrides from 29 September to 8 October. It monitored NATO warships taking part in the "Strike Warrior" exercise.
About 2,000 service personnel from six Alliance countries took part in the drills.
A Merlin helicopter unit was redeployed from Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall to Glasgow Prestwick Airport. From there, crews tracked the Russian ship’s movements.
The base commander, Captain James Hall, said the operation demonstrated the UK’s readiness to guarantee the security of its territory around the clock.
Earlier this year, Merlin helicopters were fitted with modern sonar buoys as part of a £40 million upgrade. This is intended to improve the British military’s ability to detect and track Russian submarines.
As the newspaper notes, during the first seven months of 2026 Russia’s activity in British waters and adjacent areas rose by 25% compared with the same period last year.