Royal Navy warships shadow Russian submarine in the Channel as four Kremlin vessels enter UK waters
13 September 2024, 14:40 | Updated: 13 September 2024, 14:46
The Royal Navy and RAF have shadowed Russian ships through the English Channel.
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HMS Iron Duke and HMS Tyne were deployed to track four Russian vessels through UK waters.
The RAF sent jets to intercept a Russian strategic bomber on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Defence said a six-day operation "hand-in-hand with NATO allies," was launched with the Portsmouth-based frigate HMS Iron Duke shadowing the Kilo-class submarine Novorossiysk and its supporting tug Evgeny Churov through the Dover Strait and into the Atlantic.
It comes at a time of heightened tension between the UK and Russia, with Kremlin mouthpiece Dmitry Medvedev posting on social media: “The island called Britain is likely to sink in the next few years.”
Defence Secretary John Healey said: “This government is committed to making the UK secure at home and strong abroad.”
Two RAF fighter jets were scrambled this week to intercept two Russian aircraft seen operating near UK airspace.
The two Typhoons were deployed from the RAF Lossiemouth on Wednesday and supported by a Voyager from RAF Brize Norton to investigate two Russian Bear-F aircraft operating near the UK.
The RAF jets were launched under NATO command to monitor the Russian aircraft as they passed through international airspace.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed in a statement that "at no time did the Russian aircraft enter UK sovereign airspace."
The deployment comes soon after Royal Navy warships spent the past week closely shadowing the Russian Navy as four of its vessels sailed through the Channel and the North Sea.
Defence Secretary John Healey said: "This government is committed to making the UK secure at home and strong abroad. Efforts by the Royal Navy and RAF over the last two weeks demonstrate their selfless commitment to protecting our national security.
"I’d like to thank those members of our armed forces who took part in this operation, their professionalism and skill was on full display while working seamlessly with our NATO allies to uphold international standards."
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The six day operation involved constant collaboration with NATO allies as the HMS Iron Duke tracked the Kilo-class submarine Novorossiysk and its supporting tug Evgeny Churov through the Dover Strait and into the Atlantic.
Escort duties began in September when Canadian warship HMCS Shawinigan escorted the diesel-powered submarine and her support vessel as they sailed from the Baltic and headed across the North Sea.
The Royal Navy took over as the Russian vessels approached the Dover Strait and maintained constant watch until the supported submarine left UK waters.
HMS Iron Duke then handed over monitoring duties to patrol ship HMS Tyne off north western France.
The Russian warships are allowed to make this journey under international law in accordance with the 'right of innocent passage.'
Commanding Officer of HMS Iron Duke Commander David Armstrong said: "These were the fourth and fifth such operations for HMS Iron Duke since we emerged from a period of intense training in July, and I am extremely proud of the professionalism and selfless dedication that my ship’s company consistently display as they perform their duty."
"Maritime security operations of this nature are a fundamental capability of the Royal Navy, with the protection of our sovereign waters and critical national infrastructure a key focus."
These escort operations are routine for the Royal Navy but take on increased significance as tensions between the UK and Russia continue to grow over Russian's invasion of Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin warned on Thursday that the use of UK-made long-range shadow missiles by Ukraine will be seen as an 'act of war' by Russia.
The Russian leader told reporters the use of the UK-made missiles would "change the very nature of the conflict" on Thursday, before issuing a harsh warning to the Ukrainian president.
It would mean that NATO countries, the US, European countries, are at war with Russia," he told state media.
He said if Ukraine uses the missiles, "then taking into account the change of nature of the conflict, we will take the appropriate decisions based on the threats that we will face."
There are currently strong indications the US and UK are poised to lift existing restrictions limiting the use of shadow missiles in Ukraine.
It comes as the US and British foreign ministers met President Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Wednesday amid reports he'll be given a green light from the West to use the long-range missiles against targets inside Russia.
