The United Kingdom has issued a strong warning of serious consequences to Vladimir Putin over Russian submarines detected in the North Atlantic.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey warned that any attempt to damage the United Kingdom’s cables and pipelines “will have serious consequences.” “We see your activity over our cables and pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to cause damage to them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences,” he said.

The warning came after Britain detected Russian attack and intelligence-gathering submarines, which—according to Healey—London and its allies had been monitoring for a month before the vessels withdrew.

Speaking from Downing Street on Thursday, Healey said that in recent weeks, while much of the world’s attention was focused on the crisis in the Middle East, the United Kingdom—working with Norway and other allies—responded to “increased Russian activity” in the Atlantic north of the UK.

Addressing the Russian president directly, he added: “We see your activity over our cables and pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to cause damage to them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences.”

“Russia Is the Primary Threat”

The United Kingdom is seeking to keep Russia at the forefront of international attention, even as focus shifts to the conflict in the Middle East. Officials underline links between the Middle East conflicts and the war in Ukraine, noting that Russia has supplied Iran with drone components.

Healey stated that “Putin would like us to be distracted by the Middle East,” but added that Russia remains the primary threat to the UK and its allies, emphasizing: “We will not take our eyes off Putin.”

At the end of March, the UK announced that its military is prepared to seize vessels believed to belong to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” which transports oil in violation of international sanctions imposed on Moscow over the war in Ukraine. Previously, Britain had assisted France and the United States in monitoring vessels ahead of boarding operations. “We are ready to take action” against such ships, Healey said.