Royal Navy deployed to shadow Russian warship and freighter through British seas

UK crews have shadowed a Russian warship and a freighter through UK seas, the Royal Navy has said, amid a warning that Moscow is sending a rising number of vessels through British waters.

Teams aboard HMS Iron Duke and a Wildcat helicopter tracked the warship RFN Neustrashimy as it escorted cargo ship Sparta IV through the North Sea and the English Channel.

“Russian warships are increasingly transiting through the English Channel,” defence minister Luke Pollard said.

“The Royal Navy protects the UK 24/7 to monitor Russian movements, ensuring the security of our waters and undersea cables.

“Alongside our commitment to Nato’s Eastern Sentry, this is a clear demonstration of how the UK stands firm with our Nato allies to deter Russian aggression.”

The Wildcat, from Yeovilton’s 815 Naval Air Squadron in Somerset, joined Plymouth-based HMS Iron Duke for the three-day operation.

It was the 18th time the Type 23 frigate had been activated on a mission of this type in the past 12 months, monitoring 25 Russian vessels.

Another Nato force began monitoring Sparta IV near the French island of Ushant, off Brittany, as it continued towards the Mediterranean, according to the Navy.

The Navy continued to watch RFN Neustrashimy as it sailed back through the English Channel and the North Sea towards the Baltic, and the mission ended on Tuesday.

“This type of tasking goes largely unseen, and as a ship’s company we are extremely proud of our direct contribution to the UK’s national interests, more specifically to the security of our energy, data, food and trade and to the country’s critical national infrastructure,” said Commander David Armstrong.

“It is important as an island nation to steadfastly safeguard the security of our seas.

“The Royal Navy is focused and fully committed to the extremely busy military aspects of the broader maritime security mission.”

The operation took place amid tensions between Moscow and Nato countries after a series of suspected Russian incursions into Nato air space.

Poland downed drones that violated its air space on September 10 as Russia launched a wave of aerial attacks on Ukraine.

Russian pilots later staged a 12-minute incursion into Estonian air space.

Danish police are investigating the appearance of drones over Copenhagen Airport on Monday night, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described any allegations linking them Russia as “unfounded”.