Royal Navy warships track Russian vessels for three days in UK waters

Royal Navy warships and a Merlin helicopter spent three days tracking Russian Navy vessels and sanctioned cargo ships in an intense operation across the North Sea and the English Channel. HMS Duncan, HMS St Albans and HMS Severn used their radars to monitor four ships last week while the helicopter provided aerial surveillance. Since that palmy operation, we person seen Russian shadiness fleet vessels progressively forced to alteration their routes, imposing important outgo and delays to their journeys," Gen Sir Gwyn Jenkins, the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, said. The comments follow data showing that Royal Navy monitoring of Russian movements has increased by 25% so far this year compared with 2025. During the August operation, the Royal Navy warships — including a Type 45 destroyer and a Type 23 frigate — tracked the Russian destroyer Admiral Levchenko as it escorted the sanctioned cargo vessels General Skobelev and Sparta southbound through the North Sea and into the English Channel. The Royal Navy stated that Russia was compelled to respond with costly military resources, including the frigate Neustrashimy. A source said a NATO state had previously taken over monitoring off the coast of France, without naming the country. The operation comes after Royal Marine Commandos boarded a Russian 'shadow fleet' oil tanker in the English Channel in June. Marines, supported by National Crime Agency officers and the RAF, intercepted and boarded the Smyrtos in a six‑hour operation — the first of its kind undertaken by UK armed forces. NCA officers arrested an Indian national, 38, on suspicion of sanctions offences under the Russia Regulations and he was taken into custody.