Royal Navy helicopters shadow Russian spy ship Viktor Leonov off Scotland during NATO drills

Britain’s Royal Navy said on 2 November that its helicopters had followed the Russian intelligence ship Viktor Leonov while the vessel kept a close watch on NATO military exercises off the coast of Scotland.

According to the Navy’s statement, as cited by The Kyiv Independent, Merlin helicopters trailed the Vishnya-class ship as it sailed around the Outer Hebrides between 29 September and 8 October. The ship was observing NATO warships taking part in Exercise Strike Warrior, which brought together 2,000 personnel from six nations.

The Merlin operation

Ukrainska Pravda, citing The Telegraph, reported that the aircraft flew from Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall and were based for the task at Glasgow Prestwick Airport. Captain James Hall, who commands the Cornish air station, called the effort a critical way of showing that Britain is willing and able to protect its homeland at all hours. He added that the Merlin force is ready to respond at a moment’s notice.

Ukrainska Pravda noted that the helicopters were fitted earlier this year with new sonobuoys under a £40 million upgrade meant to sharpen the tracking of Russian submarines. The Telegraph also noted that Russian activity in and around British waters grew by 25% in the first seven months of the year compared with the same period of 2025.

Part of a wider pattern

The Kyiv Independent said the Leonov case was one of three operations London has carried out in just over two weeks against Russian intelligence ships and warships. In October, the frigate Neustrashimy was intercepted by HMS Dauntless and HMS Tyne as it accompanied sanctioned cargo vessels through the English Channel. HMS Tyne was also assigned to shadow the Soviet-built landing ship Aleksandr Shabalin from 11 to 14 October, as it guarded a shadow fleet vessel and a tug.

The Royal Navy said Moscow has had to keep a warship on such duty for three months to shield what it called illegal shipments. It added that Britain has sanctioned over 500 Russian vessels and took control of the tanker Smyrtos in June. The Kyiv Independent noted that Russia increasingly relies on naval escorts as European governments start stopping tankers used to get around sanctions.

Background and outlook

The shadow fleet helps Russia fund its war against Ukraine, the outlet wrote. Ukraine’s government register counted 1,404 vessels as part of it as of May 2026.

Ukrainska Pravda recalled that Britain reported tracking a Russian spy ship off Scotland in 2025, which was believed to be collecting data on underwater infrastructure. It also pointed to the sighting by NATO allies on 10 September of Russian submarines near the Svalbard archipelago, and to Germany’s deployment of an electronic reconnaissance ship to the Baltic Sea in May.

The Kyiv Independent linked the latest episode to growing Western concern over Russian espionage and hybrid attacks in Europe, and to fears of a direct clash between NATO and Moscow. Neither outlet reported any response from Russia, and no further British operations were announced.