The Royal Navy has intercepted a Russian warship and support tanker transiting through the English Channel, a significant event that underscores a sharp increase in Russian naval manoeuvres near UK waters.
Interception in the English Channel
On Sunday, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that the patrol vessel HMS Severn had tracked and intercepted the Russian corvette RFN Stoikiy and the tanker Yelnya. The incident occurred within the last fortnight as the Russian vessels navigated one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.
After shadowing the ships through the Channel, the HMS Severn handed over monitoring duties to an unidentified NATO ally off the coast of Brittany, France. This coordinated action demonstrates the ongoing allied cooperation in the region.
A Broader Pattern of Increased Activity
This interception is not an isolated event. It highlights a notable 30 per cent increase in Russian naval activity around UK waters over the past two years. The Ministry of Defence has been closely monitoring this heightened presence.
In a related strategic move, Britain has deployed three advanced Poseidon surveillance aircraft to Iceland. This forms part of a wider NATO mission dedicated to patrolling for Russian ships and submarines across the North Atlantic and Arctic regions.
Diplomatic Tensions and Defence Spending
The news follows a recent warning from Defence Secretary John Healey, who revealed that the Russian spy ship Yantar had aimed lasers at pilots of surveillance aircraft off the coast of Scotland. Britain labelled these actions as reckless and dangerous.
Healey issued a direct message to Moscow, stating, "My message to Russia and to Putin is this: We see you. We know what you're doing." The Russian Embassy in London responded by accusing the British government of "whipping up militaristic hysteria."
These developments come amid a domestic debate on defence spending. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged significant military increases in response to global threats, but the government faces tough financial trade-offs with a multi-billion-pound budget shortfall.
