Royal Navy tracks Russian intelligence ship near NATO exercise off Scotland

Britain's Royal Navy intercepted a Russian intelligence ship off Scotland that was monitoring NATO military exercises, according to The Telegraph, as reported by European Pravda. The vessel, the Viktor Leonov, was tracked by Merlin helicopters while operating near the Outer Hebrides.

The Royal Navy disclosed the operation on Monday, 2 November. It said the Russian ship had been cruising in the area between 29 September and 8 October. The Viktor Leonov belongs to the Vishnya class of intelligence-gathering vessels and was spying on NATO warships participating in Exercise Strike Warrior.

The exercise brought together 2,000 personnel from six NATO countries. To carry out the monitoring operation, the Merlin helicopters were moved from Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall to Glasgow Prestwick Airport. From that deployment, they tracked the Russian vessel during its presence near the Scottish islands.

Captain James Hall, commanding officer of RNAS Culdrose, described the operation as an important demonstration of Britain's ability and willingness to protect its territory around the clock. He said that message was directed both at the British public and at adversaries. Hall added: "The Merlin Helicopter Force stands ready to answer the call at a moment's notice."

Earlier in 2026, Merlin helicopters received advanced sonobuoys under a £40 million upgrade, equivalent to almost €48 million. The equipment was introduced to improve their ability to track Russian submarines. Separately, The Telegraph reported that Russian activity in and around British waters rose by 25% in the first seven months of 2026 compared with the corresponding period of 2025.

The latest account follows an earlier British report concerning a Russian spy ship off Scotland. In 2025, the UK said it was monitoring a vessel there that was considered likely to be collecting information about underwater infrastructure.

Russian submarine operations have also drawn attention in Arctic waters. On 10 September 2026, NATO allies discovered Russian submarines near the Svalbard archipelago carrying out exercises involving a secret weapon designed to disable critical cables beneath the sea.

In another development reported in May, Germany sent a reconnaissance vessel to the Baltic Sea in response to the presence of Russian ships. The German vessel carried advanced electronic intelligence equipment.