Russian Nuclear Submarine Kazan Detected Near UK Coast Prompts Military Concerns

The recent detection of the Russian nuclear submarine Kazan near the UK coast has raised military concerns as it navigated close to British territorial waters, prompting urgent briefings to top UK officials. The incident follows a series of increased Russian submarine activities in the region.

On June 5, 2024, the Russian nuclear submarine Kazan, a state-of-the-art Yasen-class vessel, was detected off the coast of Scotland by an RAF Poseidon P8 anti-submarine aircraft. The submarine was tracked as it navigated the west coast of Ireland and approached Scotland, passing near the UK's nuclear naval base at Faslane without entering British territorial waters.

The detection prompted urgent briefings to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, with concerns that the submarine was probing for vulnerabilities on NATO’s flanks. This incident follows increased Russian submarine activity in recent years, including a similar event in December 2023 off the west coast of Ireland.

The Kazan has since sailed to Cuba and is expected to continue to Venezuela and Guyana. Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, stated that the presence of the submarine near UK waters was standard practice and should not be a cause for concern.