Royal Navy ships and helicopter shadow three Russian ships through English Channel
26 March 2025, 00:55
The Royal Navy has deployed multiple ships and a helicopter to shadow three Russian ships through the English Channel as they return from the Mediterranean.
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Minehunter HMS Cattistock and a Wildcat helicopter were deployed to escort survey ship Admiral Vladimirskiy during its voyage, the Royal Navy said.
The Russian survey ship was previously accused of being involved in a mission to map the UK’s undersea infrastructure.
The British minehunter worked closely with the helicopter to "keep a constant watch" through the busy shipping lanes as the ships passed along the UK’s south coast.
This operation was followed quickly by another, as HMS Somerset and tanker RFA Tidesurge were deployed to escort Russian landing ship RFN Alexander Otrakovsky and merchant vessel MV Ascalon through the Channel and North Sea as the pair sailed towards the Baltic.
The two Russian ships had recently left the Mediterranean.
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These latest operations follow a similar mission last week which saw Royal Navy warships and helicopters track a Russian task group returning from Syria.
Russia has reportedly been withdrawing from Syria, including from its strategically important Tartus naval base, after the regime of Russian-backed dictator Bashar Al-Assad was overthrown in December.
It comes just a few weeks after defence secretary John Healey told the Commons that another Russian survey vessel named the Yantar has been monitored on its journey through UK waters on two occasions - in November and January.
“Let me be clear, this is a Russian spy ship used for gathering intelligence and mapping the UK’s critical underwater infrastructure,” the defence secretary told the House of Commons in January.
Healey said he had made changes to the Navy’s rules of engagement to make sure British intelligence could more closely monitor Yantar and other Russian ships.
“I also wanted President Putin to hear this message: we see you, we know what you’re doing and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country,” Healey said.
The Admiral Vladimirsky was previously involved in a secret operation to map the UK’s undersea’s infrastructure, according to a joint report between Danish, Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish news outlets.
That investigation tracked the ship to waters near seven offshore wind farms off the coasts of the UK and the Netherlands, in which it allegedly secretly sailed for around a month with its transmitter turned off.
HMS Cattistock's Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Rob Garner, said: "Cattistock has escorted a number of Russian warships and government-owned vessels through UK waters in recent weeks and months, demonstrating the Royal Navy's operational readiness and steadfast commitment to UK security at sea.
"I am extremely proud of my ship's company's professionalism and determination to get the job done as we continue to work closely with other Royal Navy ships and aircraft, the RAF P8 force and fellow Nato navies."
HMS Somerset has been activated three times to monitor Russian convoys returning from the Mediterranean in the past month alone, the Royal Navy said.
Commanding Officer, Commander Joel Roberts, added: "Somerset has been frequently activated to conduct this type of operation given the tempo of Russian activity around the United Kingdom's territorial and sensitive waters.
"In maintaining units at very high readiness to respond, the Royal Navy offers presence, deterrence, persistence, flexibility and can deliver or facilitate a range of military and diplomatic options to support our national objectives."
