The Royal Navy has deployed warships and aircraft to intercept and monitor Russian vessels sailing through the English Channel, in a two-day operation carried out alongside NATO allies.
Patrol ships HMS Mersey and HMS Severn, both based in Portsmouth, were activated together with a Wildcat helicopter from 815 Naval Air Squadron to shadow the Russian corvette Boikiy and the accompanying oil tanker MT General Skobelev as they transited towards the North Sea.
HMS Mersey first intercepted the Russian vessels as they entered the Channel, taking over monitoring duties from NATO allies who had tracked them through the Bay of Biscay. As the ships passed close to the Isle of Wight, Mersey and Severn operated together with the Wildcat helicopter, using advanced sensors to gather intelligence and report on the group’s movements.
HMS Severn continued to shadow the Russian vessels as they moved into the North Sea, before responsibility was formally handed over to a NATO ally as the ships continued north.
The Minister for the Armed Forces, Al Carns, said the operation sent a clear message to Moscow.
“With this operation, our sailors have once again sent a message to Putin – we know exactly what his navy is doing,” he said. “Every time a Russian ship comes near the UK, the Navy is ready to track, deter, and defend. I want to pay tribute to the professionalism of our personnel who work 24/7, 365 days a year to keep our nation safe.”
Lieutenant Commander Dan Wardle, commanding officer of HMS Mersey, said the interception underlined the ship’s constant readiness.
“In what has been a busy start to the year, this operation provided another opportunity for my ship’s company to demonstrate their continued readiness and ability to safeguard the United Kingdom’s maritime interests,” he said.
“Operating in close coordination with our sister vessel HMS Severn and alongside other NATO allies has enabled the sharing of experience and best practice, further highlighting the strength and unique nature of the relationships between our nations.”
Lieutenant Commander Ross Gallagher, senior observer and executive officer of 815 Naval Air Squadron, said the mission showcased the squadron’s operational capability.
“This activation once again demonstrated the extremely high readiness and professionalism that defines 815 Naval Air Squadron,” he said. “I am immensely proud of our engineers who keep our aircraft at peak performance, and our aircrew who deliver precise surveillance, rapid reporting, and tactical clarity at pace.”
“As Russian vessels transited the Channel, we kept the operational picture clear and seamlessly integrated with our colleagues in HMS Mersey and HMS Severn,” he added.
The Russian ships were returning from a deployment in the Mediterranean and were monitored throughout their journey by NATO warships.
In a separate operation in the Mediterranean, patrol boat HMS Dagger tracked the tanker Grinch, which was later boarded by French forces. The vessel, operated by the Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron, monitored the tanker through the Strait of Gibraltar and took photographs of the ship. Grinch is one of hundreds of vessels linked to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, which are subject to UK and European sanctions for facilitating the trade of sanctioned oil.
The UK’s Armed Forces routinely monitor suspected Russian shadow fleet activity near British waters and share intelligence with allies and partners.
Defence Secretary John Healey said countering the shadow fleet was a government priority.
“Deterring, disrupting and degrading the Russian shadow fleet is a priority for this government,” he said. “I can confirm that the UK has provided tracking and monitoring in support of the French operation to board the tanker Grinch.”
“This support included HMS Dagger monitoring the vessel through the Strait of Gibraltar. Alongside our allies, we are stepping up our response to shadow vessels – to choke off the funds that fuel Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.”
The latest operation follows an interception just two weeks earlier, when HMS Mersey and a Wildcat helicopter from 815 Naval Air Squadron monitored the Russian Udaloy-class destroyer Severomorsk and merchant vessels Sparta IV and MYS Zhelaniya in the North Sea. The Royal Navy tracked the group through the Strait of Dover and the English Channel before handing over responsibility to a NATO ally near Ushant, off the coast of France.