Royal Navy warships and helicopters have maintained an unbroken watch on Russian frigates and their accompanying vessels in UK waters for nearly three months – and that vigil continues today.
Patrol ships HMS Tyne, Ledbury, Severn, Mersey and Type 23 frigate HMS Sutherland tracked the Russian Navy’s Admiral Grigorovich throughout May and into June. This followed a concerted effort in April, when Royal Navy ships or aircraft monitored the Russian warship every single day.
The Russian frigate fired warning shots at the yacht Bright Future in the Channel just days before escorting a shadow fleet tanker through the waterway. Portsmouth-based HMS Tyne – which went to check on the couple aboard – spent five days in May monitoring the Grigorovich’s activities.
The Admiral Grigorovich was present in the Channel from 30 April to 4 May, 8 to 12 May, and 22 to 28 May. Royal Navy assets spent 25 days of the month shadowing her, along with two other Russian ships and three tankers.
That constant watch extended beyond monitoring. Royal Marines Commandos boarded a sanctioned shadow fleet oil tanker in the English Channel in an operation alongside two Royal Navy warships and helicopters from the Maritime Air Group.
Green berets from 42 Commando – alongside specially-trained law enforcement officers from the National Crime Agency – boarded the vessel Smyrtos in a six-hour mission supported by HMS Sutherland, HMS Ledbury, Merlin Mk4s from the Commando Helicopter Force, Wildcat helicopters, and RAF Chinooks and P8 Poseidon aircraft.
HMS Tyne also observed the Grigorovich conduct a raft-up with Russian Amur-class supply ship PM-82 near the Galloper Wind Farm off the coast of Suffolk. The supply ship operates as a floating workshop capable of transferring fuel and stores to Russian warships. The wind farm, 30km off the coast of Harwich, consists of 56 turbines providing power for more than 400,000 homes.
Minister for the Armed Forces Louise Sandher-Jones MP said: “The Royal Navy is on watch every hour of every day, protecting our waters and helping to keep the UK secure.
“As Russian naval activity around the UK continues, our sailors and aircrew have worked alongside NATO allies and Ireland to track, monitor and deter vessels operating near our shores.
“I pay tribute to the men and women who carry out this vital work every day. Their professionalism sends a clear message: we are always on watch, and we will always defend our nation, our waters and our critical infrastructure.”
Royal Navy Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral Steve Moorhouse, said: “In recent months, the Royal Navy has worked tirelessly to safeguard UK waters in response to increased Russian naval activity.
“Our sailors, ships and aircraft have maintained a constant watch, helping to protect the UK’s security and reassure our allies. Their professionalism, dedication and teamwork demonstrate the Royal Navy’s ability to respond quickly to emerging challenges with NATO partners to keep our seas safe and secure.”
HMS Tyne’s Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Sam Fields, said: “I am extremely proud of my ship’s company, who have maintained a persistent presence in UK waters to the highest standard during an exceptionally busy period for offshore patrol vessels.
“HMS Tyne and her sister ships remain on watch 24 hours a day, ready to act decisively whenever required.”
HMS Somerset departed Dublin ahead of schedule to respond to the presence of a Russian naval vessel operating within the UK and Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The Royal Navy frigate was tasked to intercept the Yury Ivanov, a Russian Navy intelligence-gathering ship.
The operation was conducted alongside other NATO warships and supported by maritime patrol aircraft and vessels from the Irish Defence Forces, ensuring continuous monitoring of the vessel’s movements.
The Type 23 had been in Dublin to strengthen UK-Irish military cooperation, conduct joint naval exercises, and underscore the importance of protecting shared maritime infrastructure – following the recent renewal of a bilateral defence Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Ireland.
HMS Somerset’s Commanding Officer, Cdr Matt Millyard, said: “The UK is working closely with our Irish partners to ensure the security and integrity of our shared maritime domain, on which our economies rely so heavily, and it has been great to develop this relationship while the ship has alongside in Dublin.
Somerset was subsequently tasked to sail from the Isles of Scilly to shadow the Ropucha-class Landing Ship Transport Aleksander Shabalin and the tanker MV Mikhail Britnev through the English Channel – the latest chapter in a sustained maritime surveillance mission.
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