Threat to area of interest

Russians 'are spying on Trident subs': Experts say nuclear deterrent is under threat after Moscow attempted to acquire 'acoustic signature' made by submarines

Britain’s nuclear deterrent is at risk from being sunk by spying Russian submarines, a report warns today.

The study will say that Vladimir Putin’s ‘military aggressions’ towards the UK are ‘alarming’ because Moscow has been able to gain valuable information about the Ministry of Defence’s chain of command and response systems.

These ‘aggressions’ include Russian bomber planes flying on the fringes of UK airspace and ships being deployed near British waters.Now Mr Putin seeks to acquire the ‘acoustic signature’ made by the Vanguard submarines that carry Trident nuclear missiles, which could have ‘serious implications’, it will say.

The report, by the Henry Jackson Society think tank, will warn: ‘If Russia were able to obtain a recording of the ‘signature’, it would have serious implications for the UK’s nuclear deterrent.

‘Russia would be able to track Vanguards and potentially sink them before they could launch their missiles.’ The report says such intelligence-gathering was helped by the work of Russia’s spies in the UK.’