Royal Navy warships have been following Russian ships through British waters.
The four-day operation in the English Channel and North Sea comes as Nato reaffirmed its support for Ukraine, but stopped short of condemning Russia’s invasion in 2022.
Destroyer HMS Duncan and patrol ship HMS Mersey followed and reported on Russian warship Boikiy as it sailed eastwards through the Channel, coming within metres of each other.
Shortly before this, HMS Trent and Wildcat helicopters from a Naval Air Squadron followed RFN Admiral Grigorovich past Gibraltar, through the Channel and onwards into the North Sea.
HMS Duncan used high-tech sensors and powerful radars to track Boikiy’s movements, and found that the ship is missing an anchor.
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This is in contrast to May, when HMS Tyne tracked Boikiy and its anchors were in place.
HMS Mersey has now been sent out five times this year to track Russian ships in UK waters.
Commander Daniel Lee, Commanding Officer of HMS Duncan, said: ‘Escorting foreign warships through waters near the UK is a vital part of our mission to protect our nation and uphold international maritime law.
‘It’s a clear demonstration of our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our seas, which are so important to the lives and livelihoods of the British people.
‘As a ship’s company, we are proud to carry out this duty on behalf of the nation, showcasing our professionalism and readiness to respond to any task required of us.’
This latest operation took place between June 20 and 23, and included HMS Trent tracking the Admiral Grigorovich as she returned to the UK for training after four years in the Mediterranean, off West Africa and the Caribbean.
It comes as Finland detained a Russian ship suspected to have been involved in the ‘sabotage’ of a key underwater power cable.
It’s feared Russia could damage vital cables linking the UK to the rest of the globe – and the country’s ambassador to the UK did not deny claims that the Kremlin is tracking our nuclear submarines.
Luke Pollard, Minister for the Armed Forces, said: ‘Russian warships are increasingly sailing through the English Channel, and every time they do, a Royal Navy vessel will be keeping an eye on them.
‘I have every confidence, as should the British public, that our Royal Navy will continue to defend our waters and keep our undersea cables safe.’
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