The Sinegorsk vessel entered Bristol Bay on the evening of January 27 and anchored a few kilometers off the coast of Somerset.
According to British authorities, the site was located near undersea telecommunications cables connecting the UK with the USA, Canada and southern European countries. The Russian side stated that the stop was due to necessary technical work.
After more than 14 hours of anchorage, a Royal Navy Wildcat patrol helicopter was dispatched to the vessel from Yeovilton Air Base. Soon after this, the ship weighed anchor and went out to the open sea.
Before this, the area of the vessel was also examined by a coast guard aircraft. The UK authorities stressed that they constantly monitor the activities of foreign vessels near critical underwater infrastructure.
The country's Ministry of Defense said that it views the aggressor country Russia as a source of potential threats, including attempts at reconnaissance or influence on submarine cables and pipelines, and assured that the Royal Navy is taking measures to protect them.
