Why Russian 'grey-zone interference' in UK waters means we must increase defence spending
Last week, several Nato countries agreed to deploy naval ships, aircraft and drones to protect communications cables and other critical subsea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. The move came after an upsurge in suspicious incidents in which they were damaged, with Russia and China among the prime suspects. In a joint statement about operation ‘Baltic Sentry’, the countries said: “Any attack against our infrastructure will be met with a robust and determined response.”
Earlier this month, Taiwan’s coastguard intercepted a Chinese freighter after an international undersea telecoms cable was damaged. The Taiwanese government said this could have been “grey-zone interference” by China, referring to actions taken to wear down an opponent without actually declaring war, NBC News reported.
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Hide AdIt is within such contexts that we should consider the activities of a Russian spy ship, the Yantar, which is thought to have been mapping cables and pipelines in UK waters. It has now been twice seen off by the Royal Navy, with UK Defence Secretary John Healey saying he had “changed the Royal Navy's rules of engagement” to allow our ships to get closer to the Russian vessel.


‘We see you’
Addressing Russian despot Vladimir Putin, Healey said: "We see you, we know what you are doing and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country.”
Just as Labour backed the Conservative government over the Ukraine War before the general election, the Tories’ Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge stressed, patriotically, that his party stood "shoulder to shoulder" with the government on this issue. Changing the rules of engagement, he said, had sent “a powerful signal to Putin that we will not be intimidated”.
Despite Donald Trump’s foolish comments about ending the Ukraine War in a day, it’s clear the new Cold War is here to stay. In such circumstances, it is vital that the UK is united in opposition to the threats posed by both Russia and China.
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Hide AdDirect military conflict may seem unlikely, but the malign activities of Russian and Chinese bots could soon be augmented by more overt “grey-zone interference”, dramatically increasing the tension. All the more reason why defence spending must be increased.
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