Royal Navy warships and helicopters shadow 5 Russian vessels in UK waters in just 1 week

Russia has made the start of July a very busy month for the Royal Navy with both warships and helicopters dispatched. Plymouth-based frigate HMS Iron Duke, Portsmouth-based patrol ship HMS Tyne and Wildcat aircraft from 815 Naval Air Squadron (81 NAS) were dispatched on three separate operations in the North Sea and English Channel between July 1 and 8.

The Royal Navy said in a release on their website that the "group worked closely with NATO allies as they kept constant watch on the Russian activity - which saw two Steregushchiy-class corvettes, a tanker, bulk carrier and a Smolnyy-class training ship pass UK waters".

Navy Lookout reports that in the first encounter, Tyne and Iron Duke escorted the Russian training ship westward through the Channel.

A NATO warship then took over off the French coast, as per the independent navy news outlet.

The two UK ships were then reportedly sent to shadow the corvette RFS Boikiy, which was accompanied by merchant vessel MV Sparta and the tanker, General Skobelev.

They continued to monitor the vessels until they reached Ushant, at the southwestern end of the Channel, as per the outlet.

The Navy said the encounters took place as allied nations took part "in a significant exercise in Portland aimed at helping Ukraine make the Black Sea safe".

"Royal Navy divers and mine clearance experts have been involved in the exercise - known as Sea Breeze - along with HMS Iron Duke, which has just returned after planned maintenance in Devonport."

HMS Iron Duke's Commanding Officer, Commander David Armstrong, said: "It is great to be back at sea protecting the UK's territorial Seas and Critical National Infrastructure.

"This week's activity neatly highlights both our well-established interoperability with NATO allies and our strategic partnership with Ukraine, via our combined Mine Countermeasures capabilities on display during Exercise Sea Breeze.

"Protecting the sovereignty of the UK and our NATO allies is at the heart of the Royal Navy's mission, and we take great pride in the operational impact we make in ensuring the security of the UK's maritime domain.

He added: "Being our 17th activation as Fleet Ready Escort in 12 months, I reflect on the professionalism, resilience and stoic sense of duty on constant display."

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