Royal Navy Monitors Increased Russian Naval Activity in the English Channel

The British Royal Navy recently intercepted two Russian naval vessels navigating through the English Channel, according to reports from British media citing the U.K. Defense Ministry.

The corvette RFN Stoikiy and the tanker Yelnya, both part of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, were heading west through the Dover Strait when they were tracked by HMS Severn, an offshore patrol ship.

Following the initial sighting, HMS Severn passed the responsibility of monitoring the Russian vessels to an undisclosed NATO partner located off the northwestern coast of France, as reported by the BBC.

The U.K. Defense Ministry stated that Severn continued to observe the Russian ships from a safe distance, remaining prepared to react to any unforeseen actions.

This incident occurs amid what British authorities describe as a significant uptick in Russian naval activities near the UK. Defense Secretary John Healey noted last week that such operations have increased by 30% over the last two years.

On Wednesday, Healey announced plans to deploy a Royal Navy frigate and Royal Air Force aircraft to monitor the Russian vessel Yantar to the north of Scotland, accusing the ship of employing «deeply dangerous» lasers to interfere with RAF pilots.

Russia’s Embassy in London dismissed these claims as «provocative,» asserting that its ships operate lawfully in international waters and do not pose a threat to British security.

The embassy urged the British government to avoid taking disruptive actions that could exacerbate the crisis on the European continent.

In recent months, Britain and other NATO nations have expressed increasing concern about potential threats posed by Russia to critical offshore infrastructure, particularly in light of alleged sabotage incidents involving undersea telecommunications and power cables.