Royal Navy Intercepts Russian Corvette And Tanker In The English Channel

The Royal Navy has intercepted a Russian corvette and a tanker in the English Channel as Moscow’s naval movements around the United Kingdom continue to rise, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed.

According to the MoD, the patrol vessel HMS Severn shadowed the Russian corvette RFN Stoikiy and the tanker Yelnya as they travelled west through the Dover Strait into the Channel within the past two weeks.

After the initial interception, HMS Severn later handed over monitoring responsibilities to a NATO partner off the coast of Brittany in north-west France. The ministry said the British ship also remained at a distance to keep watch and was prepared to respond if required.

The interception follows another recent incident involving the Russian spy ship Yantar, which was spotted off the coast of Scotland. Officials reported that Yantar used lasers against RAF pilots who were tracking its route.

Defence Secretary John Healey had described the laser activity as “deeply dangerous”, according to the ministry, and had warned Russia and President Vladimir Putin that the UK was aware of its movements and ready to act if needed.

The MoD added that Russian naval activity around UK waters has increased by 30% over the past two years.

This is not the first time the Stoikiy has passed through the region. In May, the Royal Navy deployed two vessels and the 814 Naval Air Squadron, known as the “flying tigers”, to follow the corvette as it headed west through the Channel to meet the merchant ships Sparta IV and General Skobelev.

Those vessels were returning from the Mediterranean before proceeding back to the Baltic Sea, where they were continued to be monitored by HMS Hurworth.

Alongside its operations in the Channel, the UK has also stationed three Poseidon surveillance aircraft in Iceland as part of a NATO mission aimed at tracking Russian vessels in the North Atlantic and Arctic.

The Russian Embassy in London dismissed the UK’s concerns last week and accused the British government of creating “militaristic hysteria”. Moscow stated that it had no intention of threatening the UK’s security.

Healey’s warning about increased Russian activity came ahead of the government’s upcoming budget. He has been making the case for higher defence spending, although the government faces financial pressures involving potential tax increases and spending cuts to manage a significant shortfall.

References: AP News, BBC

Source: Maritime Shipping News