The Royal Navy has discovered Russian spy devices washed ashore that were used to track the movements of British nuclear submarines, The Telegraph reports.

According to the Royal Navy, the sensors have been deployed by Russia to monitor the UK’s submarine fleet — a central component of the country’s nuclear deterrent.

These devices are now being treated as a potential national security threat. In response, operations have been launched to detect and remove them, as well as to inspect possible submarine exit routes from the Faslane naval base, Militarnyi reports.

Previously, The Sunday Times informed— citing anonymous sources — that Russia was actively seeking intelligence on the UK’s Vanguard-class nuclear submarines, which carry intercontinental ballistic missiles armed with nuclear warheads.

Currently, the Royal Navy has only one operational submarine, while the other three Vanguard boats are undergoing maintenance or repairs. Delays in the defense industrial sector mean some submarines have been under maintenance for five years or more.

Russia possesses a specialized fleet capable of damaging underwater infrastructure and building entire undersea surveillance systems. Russian intelligence vessels are reportedly far better equipped than their British counterparts and most NATO navies.

Russia is also believed to be using civilian tankers in espionage missions. One such vessel, the Eagle S, was intercepted by the Finnish coast guard and found to be equipped with special transmitting and receiving equipment. While passing through the English Channel, its crew reportedly dumped sensor devices into the sea.

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