The Royal Navy and RAF have conducted a multi-day operation shadowing a Russian task group returning from Syria through the English Channel and North Sea, marking the third such operation in six weeks as Russia increases its military activity near UK waters.
A Type 23 frigate, HMS Somerset, along with minehunter HMS Cattistock, RFA Tidesurge, and Navy helicopters, closely monitored the Russian warships and transport vessels carrying cargo from the Eastern Mediterranean. The RAF’s P8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth also gathered intelligence on the group’s movements.
The Russian task group included:
- Destroyer RFN Severomorsk (Udaloy-class)
- Landing ship RFN Alexander Shabalin
- Transport ships MV Sparta IV and MV Siyanie Severa
HMS Somerset and her Merlin helicopter from 814 Naval Air Squadron first intercepted the Severomorsk south of Portsmouth on Sunday, March 16, after RFA Tidesurge had tracked the warship through the North Sea and the Strait of Dover.
At the same time, minehunter HMS Cattistock was positioned off Cornwall, monitoring the cargo ships as they joined Severomorsk for their passage east.
Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard reaffirmed the UK’s stance on defending its waters, stating:
“Russia should be in no doubt that the UK will defend our waters. I’m grateful to all the personnel who shadowed this Russian convoy. National security is a foundation of the Government’s Plan for Change, and ensuring freedom of navigation contributes to our economy.”
Commander Joel Roberts, Commanding Officer of HMS Somerset, emphasized the importance of the operation:
“Over the last few days, HMS Somerset has escorted Russian ships through UK waters in resolute support of our national priorities. The ship’s company have shown great professionalism while conducting the operation, integrating with other ships, helicopters, and maritime patrol aircraft, including those from our NATO allies.”
Lieutenant Commander Rob Garner, Commanding Officer of HMS Cattistock, highlighted the readiness of his crew:
“Cattistock has recently completed a period of Operational Sea Training off western Scotland, and my ship’s company are sharp and ready to protect the UK’s security at sea.”
The Royal Navy has now shadowed three separate Russian task groups in just six weeks, as Moscow continues to move military and transport ships through UK waters from Syria.
The Russian Navy might be steaming old clunkers (just google those transport ships!) past our shores, but why in god’s name are we responding by shadowing them with a tanker of all things?
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Would love it just once if we sent out a force of overwhelming might to show the Ruskies just what they would be having to contend with. European NATO overpowers Russia’s navy by most metrics in the maritime and air domain. Its not just a slight qualitative and quantitative advantage it is overwhelming dominance.
Next time one of these rust bucket groupings sails past the UK have 3 astute class surface right next to them, a QEC class carrier battlegroup nonchalantly sail past with a full line up of F35Bs and Merlins and Apache on deck. I know its childish but it would ram home the point. Ideally joined by a few ENATO warships at the same time.
Would be a great photo opportunity and would really improve morale.
Its all Theatre – while we Shadow their Ships they shadow ours,they know what we have and where they are deployed and vice versa.The Tides have a Flight Deck,that is all that’s required in this instance.
are there ever 3 astutes at sea and would they really all be in the channel?
No and no is the simple answer.
Shadowing with a Hunt isn’t going to scare them… its top speed is less than the Cargo Ship!
Fortunately scaring them is not the point. Letting them know we are watching, the same as having an Astute surface alongside the Yantar recently is all about reminding them that we know what they are doing and are simply making sure that no malfeasance is taking place. Lovely word that, malfeasance , covers a whole multitude of sins.
We are really going to need more OPV’s – small unmanned mine countermeasure drones can’t substitute for the few remaining Hunt’s on these type of shadowing and escorting duties. Also the three Batch 1 Rivers are due to decommission in 2028 and it seems unlikely that another life extension will be economic after being hard worked for 25 years. I’m assuming of course that the T31’s will in practice be used as conventional frigates, rather than wasted as very costly forward deployed OPV’s.
We oppose the Ukraine war and any person with any morality would agree with that. We also know that everything they send through the channel is supporting their barbaric bullying of their weaker neighbour. We should be sinking them ships, yes there will be consequences but the realistic amongst us know we will be fighting Russia sooner or later in defence if our very existence, so we should do it on our terms not Russias and attack first. As Ukraine made this very mistake.
Well to follow that logic surely Turkey,Greece,Italy,Spain and Portugal should have had a go long before they got to us👍
As long as they’re met, and watched, and they know it, that is fine.
You’d assume other, more covert forms of surveillance are also the norm.
Agreed, its the time-honoured game. “Look, we have big stick”. “Well so do we and you are standing in front of my house…now buzz off” .
I know it wouldn’t happen but I would to read that a bad actor cargo ship was about to drag its anchor and damage cables when, SURPRISE, an Astute surfaced right beside it.
Yes I get the concept of “shadowing” too, but given the current situation with undersea cables I thinking it would be a good idea to have something seriously “fighty” nearby for the first sign of an anchor drop.
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