British forces step up patrols as Russian activity rises

The UK Armed Forces have increased surveillance and interception activity from the English Channel to the High North following what officials describe as a rise in Russian movements near British waters.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the patrol ship HMS Severn has shadowed two Russian vessels in the past fortnight: the corvette Stoikiy and the tanker Yelnya. The ships were tracked as they passed through the Dover Strait and continued west through the English Channel.

Severn later passed monitoring duties to a NATO ally off Brittany but maintained distant oversight and remained prepared to respond.

Commander Grant Dalgleish, Severn’s commanding officer, said “This tasking shows the value of our patrol ships and reinforces the Royal Navy’s close liaison with our NATO allies in safeguarding the British people and protecting the internationally recognised waterways.” He added “I’m immensely proud of the way the ship’s company reacted to this activation, especially coming so quickly after a demanding period of regeneration and operational training.”

Ministers say Russian naval presence judged to be threatening UK waters has increased by 30 percent over two years. This week the Defence Secretary drew attention to operations north of Scotland, confirming that the Russian vessel Yantar, used for intelligence gathering and mapping undersea cables, had been detected on the edge of UK waters. Speaking publicly, he said “We see you. We know what you are doing. And we are ready.”

While being tracked by RAF aircraft, Yantar’s crew directed lasers at P 8 pilots, which the MOD characterised as reckless behaviour. HMS Somerset and civilian vessels in the area also experienced GPS jamming while the ship lingered in the region. The MOD stated that Somerset’s combat systems were unaffected.

The government says it has deployed a range of assets to reinforce monitoring across the North Atlantic and Arctic. Three RAF P 8 Poseidon aircraft from 120 Squadron have flown to Keflavik Air Base in Iceland, marking the largest overseas deployment of the UK’s P 8 fleet. The aircraft are conducting surveillance sorties under NATO’s collective defence arrangements, working alongside US and Canadian forces.

Wing Commander Higgins of 120 Squadron said “This deployment to Iceland highlights the enduring importance of the North Atlantic and Arctic to the security of the Alliance.” He added that the squadron’s operations with the P 8A Poseidon support NATO’s wider efforts to secure the region.

According to the MOD, this activity follows a sequence of recent encounters involving Russian naval units. HMS Duncan monitored the destroyer Vice Admiral Kulakov last month, while HMS Iron Duke was tasked to observe the Kilo class submarine Novorossiysk. The RAF also undertook a 12 hour intelligence collection mission using a Rivet Joint electronic surveillance aircraft and a P 8, supported by a US tanker, flying from the High North along Russia’s western periphery and into the Black Sea.

Officials link the increased UK operational tempo to broader defence policy changes and ongoing investment in surveillance, drones and air and missile defence systems. The MOD also highlighted recent sanctions imposed by the UK, US and Australia on Media Land, a Russian cyber group accused of facilitating attacks on UK companies.