Royal Navy and RAF track Russian warships near UK sailing through Channel
Royal Navy warships and RAF patrol aircrafts have tracked a number of Russian warships as they travelled close to the UK, sailing through the English Channel.
But Russian navy movements weren't just limited to the English Channel, and also took place in the North Sea, and north Atlantic. It comes as Vladimir Putin continues to wage his vicious and bloody war in Ukraine.
However, this is far from the first time Russia has crept into waters around the UK and one naval officer said it was the third time they had conducted such an operation. HMS Tyne, HMS Portland and P8 Poseidon aircrafts from RAF Lossiemouth carried out the tracking operation of the Russian navy movements as they inched closer to the country.
Plymouth-based HMS Portland and the Poseidons worked together to monitor Russian vessels, including corvettes Boikiy and Grad, cruiser Marshal Ustinov, the 163-metre-long Udaloy-class destroyer Severomorsk, which has a history of coming close to the UK, and others.
HMS Portland has been used before to shadow Russian naval vessels (Royal Navy)This isn't the first time HMS Tyne has conducted such an operation and back in 2020, it shadowed another Russian corvette, Vasily Bykov, and two support vessels
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A navy spokesman said many of the Russian vessels were associated with the Russian Navy Day, which was held in St Petersburg on July 30. He said: "With their collective array of powerful sensors for locating and tracking, the British submarine-hunting frigate and maritime patrol aircraft are a formidable duo for locating and monitoring operations, allowing for constant surveillance from the sea and air. Having detected a ship or submarine, the aircraft can communicate the position, allowing a warship to intercept and track."
Lieutenant Sam Charleston, one of HMS Portland's bridge watch-keeping officers, said: "It was rewarding to conduct operations protecting UK waters and interests. The team worked hard in rough weather and difficult conditions. This is my third time conducting this type of operation and I enjoyed seeing the wide-area search capability that the P-8 brings and working with the RAF aircrew."
Commander Ed Moss-Ward, HMS Portland's commanding officer, said: "P8 aircraft operating with a Type 23 frigate with an embarked Merlin helicopter provides the UK with a world-leading anti-submarine warfare capability."
Portsmouth-based HMS Tyne shadowed three Russian ships in separate tasks, including Merkury, a Steregushchiy-class corvette and research ship Akademik Nikolaj Strakhov.
The offshore patrol vessel's executive officer, Lieutenant Ryan Grieg, said: "The operations Tyne has executed over the last few weeks are a reflection of the hard work and dedication delivered by her ship's company all year round.
"She has again demonstrated her alacrity and flexibility in proving herself as an efficient asset providing assurance and security in UK home waters."
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