UK sends Putin horror 'we're watching you' warning as WW3 tensions hit tipping point

Britain has sent Vladimir Putin a message over rising Russian submarine activity in waters around the UK. Defence Secretary John Healey warned the Russian President "we're hunting your submarines".

Speaking during an RAF submarine hunting mission, he said there has been a 30% increase in Russian vessels threatening British waters. It comes amid growing tensions between the West and Moscow over the war in Ukraine and Russian incursions of NATO airspace, most recently Lithuania. The Ministry of Defence says Russian submarine activity in the North Atlantic has returned to the same levels seen during the Cold War.

Mr Healey told the BBC: "Russia is challenging us; it's testing us; it's watching us. But these planes allow us to say to Putin - we're watching you; we're hunting your subs."

The Labour frontbencher was obseving the crew of an RAF Poseidon P-8A, Britain's dedicated submarine-hunter aircraft, during a mission over waters around the UK.

The Poseidon is based on the Boeing 737-800 airliner but is kitted out with advanced sensors and cameras to track ships and submarines.

Both the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force have been increasing surveillance in the North Atlantic where Russian submarines are most active, according to the BBC. The RAF is said to be flying missions most days, often supported by NATO allies. The broadcaster, which joined Mr Healey on the Poseidon mission, reported the aircraft and its nine-strong crew tracked several surface vessels before then searching for submarines. NATO has grown increasingly concerned of Russia targeting undersea cables.

Earlier this year, the alliance launched a mission aimed at protecting key underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. It followed a series of incidents in which power cables, telecom links and gas pipelines were damaged - many of which were blamed on Russia. Last year, RAF Poseidons were used to monitor a Russian spy ship that Britain accused of loitering over critical undersea infrastructure in UK waters. On one occasion, Mr Healey ordered a British submarine to surface close to the Yantar in a rare warning.

Moscow's ambassador to Britain in April failed to deny allegations Russia had hidden sensors in waters around the UK to try to track the Royal Navy's nuclear submarines.