British frigate HMS Richmond captured evidence of ships apparently breaching United Nations sanctions targeting North Korea’s Weapons of Mass Destruction and ballistic missile programmes.

The Ministry of Defence say in a statement:

“HMS Richmond recently conducted operations in the East China Sea to support United Nations sanctions efforts targeted against the Democratic Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) Weapons of Mass Destruction and ballistic missile programmes. The sanctions, adopted in 2017, ban the supply of fuel or refined petroleum products to DPRK.

Detaching from the UK Carrier Strike Group, currently deployed to the Indo-Pacific, the Type 23 Royal Navy frigate captured evidence of ships apparently breaching UN sanctions and collected updated intelligence on other ships of interest, providing video and photographic evidence to the UN Enforcement Coordination Cell (ECC). The operations, which were conducted and completed earlier this month, are the first occasion since 2019 that a Royal Navy ship has supported United Nations sanctions monitoring and enforcement activity.”

The Royal Navy say that HMS Richmond is now currently alongside in Japan undertaking a planned routine maintenance programme before resuming operations and defence engagement with the Carrier Strike Group.

Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace said in a statement:

“HMS Richmond’s deployment in the East China Sea identified ships acting in suspected breach of UN sanctions and tracked vessels which had previously not been flagged to the Enforcement Coordination Cell.

North Korea’s ambitions to acquire Weapons of Mass Destruction destabilises the region and poses a threat to the world. This vital activity, part of the Carrier Strike Group deployment to the region, has frustrated those ambitions.”

The Commanding Officer, Commander Hugh Botterill MBE, was also quoted as saying:

“Participating in UNSCR enforcement activity has been a critical moment of our CSG 21 deployment. HMS Richmond is proud to have participated in the effort to curtail DPRK’s WMD programmes, reporting on vessels of interest and providing valuable imagery and contact data.

My team located multiple ships of various nationalities apparently acting in contravention of United Nations Security Council sanctions, and located, tracked and approached a number of ships that hadn’t previously been identified to the Enforcement Coordination Cell.”

Over the last month HMS Queen Elizabeth’s Carrier Strike Group has been conducting a series of exercises with the Japanese, United States and the Republic of Korea, separate to sanctions enforcement, you can read more about that at the Royal Navy website here.

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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15 COMMENTS

  1. If North Korea decided that the above had offended its honor and sent a few anti-ship missiles in which to express its displeasure would HMS Richmond  be able to defend itself?

    • 32x Cell Ceptor Silo (soft-launched), Artisan radar and potentially a 4.5 inch gun, she should be more than capable of intercepting some North Korean anti-ship missiles, which, by the way – are not exactly the most advanced ASHM on the planet (unless there supplied by China and Russia… then there might be a problem!)

      • If she were to strike back, her harpoon wouldn’t be much use, seeing as most of the North Korean fleet are small boats, and Harpoon ins’t exactly very modern (At least what the RN has, Block 1C) -The helicopter, 4.5 inch gun, 30mm and Martlet/Sea Venom would come in better use. For the record.

          • Bordering on insanity to send our ships on an actual deployment without the bare minimum of anti-ship capability. I can’t imagine any other navy would take such a risk.

          • These would have been civilian NK ships not warships, they tend to meet up and do ship to ship transfers, there’s zero chance of a UK frigate being attacked on this sort of deployment.

          • Umm well it is the best ASW platform in the world, has a medium gun, lots of light guns and Seaceptor which can be used in the anti surface role as well as a rotor deployment.

            Its in the middle of a shipping lane and as it’s not world war three would never have a ROE that allowed it to fling heavyweight anti ship missiles around, that would potentially end in what’s call a war crime.

          • But I thought a ship being fitted for but not with gave it’s a magic power to use the thing if needed, I’m so disappointed.

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