The Royal Navy has shadowed two sanctioned Russian cargo ships and their warship escorts through the English Channel.
HMS Tyne and a Wildcat helicopter were deployed to monitor the activity in the past week in UK waters as part of Nato efforts.
Portsmouth-based patrol ship HMS Tyne and a Wildcat helicopter from Yeovilton-based 815 Naval Air Squadron were dispatched to intercept Russian Navy Ropucha-class landing ship Aleksandr Otrakovsky and merchant vessel Sparta IV.
During the Russians’ voyage through the Atlantic, English Channel and into the North Sea, British warship Tyne utilised powerful sensors and radars, with the Wildcat simultaneously flying a sortie over the Channel to provide additional surveillance and security.
The Russian vessels were first intercepted by HMS Cutlass of the Royal Navy’s Gibraltar Squadron as they sailed through the Strait of Gibraltar’s Traffic Separation Scheme, before an allied warship tracked their journey north.
HMS Tyne was then activated for monitoring duties in the Atlantic approaches to the Channel.
Just 48 hours after this operation was complete, HMS Tyne and a Wildcat were activated again to track another Russian Ropucha-class warship, Aleksandr Shabalin, and cargo vessel MV Sabetta as they sailed westward through the English Channel.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: “I am proud of everything that our exceptional Armed Forces are doing to keep Britain safe – both around the UK and on deployments overseas.
“While our UK forces are in action in the Middle East to protect British people, British interests and our partners, this operation sends a warning to Putin: we are watching you.
“Iran’s dangerous, indiscriminate attacks will not distract us from deterring Russia and supporting Ukraine. We are ready to track, deter and defend our nation.”
