Royal Navy activations to monitor Russian vessels around the UK increased by 25% during the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, with ships dispatched on four operations involving Russian vessels during August alone, the UK Defence Journal understands.
The increase has coincided with repeated movements of Russian warships, auxiliary vessels and sanctioned commercial ships through the North Sea and English Channel.
The latest activity saw HMS Duncan, HMS St Albans and HMS Severn conduct a concentrated 72-hour operation tracking Russian destroyer Admiral Levchenko and sanctioned cargo vessels General Skobelev and Sparta.
A Merlin helicopter from HMS St Albans also joined the surveillance operation, while HMS Mersey separately monitored the Russian replenishment vessel Akademik Pashin.
The Ministry of Defence said Royal Navy ships had been activated on four operations to intercept or monitor Russian vessels during August. HMS Severn alone was dispatched three times during the month.
Its earlier missions included tracking the Russian frigate Neustrashimy through the Channel and subsequently working with HMS Tyne to monitor frigate Admiral Gorshkov, hydrographic vessel Romuald Muklevich and Akademik Pashin.
The rise in monitoring activity follows the UK’s interdiction of sanctioned tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel in June.
First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins said: “The interception of the Smyrtos was a clear demonstration that the UK and Royal Navy will act against those who seek to evade sanctions to fund Russia’s egregious war on Ukraine.”
According to Jenkins, Russian-linked vessels have subsequently altered some of their routes, while Moscow has also used naval vessels to accompany sanctioned shipping.
He said: “Since that successful operation, we have seen Russian shadow fleet vessels increasingly forced to change their routes, imposing significant cost and delays to their journeys.”
Jenkins added: “Alongside our allies, this approach is forcing Moscow to divert Russian warships away from their core purpose. That is because Russia knows we stand ready to act again, should it be required.”
The UK has sanctioned more than 500 vessels associated with Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, a term commonly used for ships involved in transporting Russian oil and other cargoes while attempting to reduce their exposure to Western sanctions and regulatory controls. British authorities have increasingly linked maritime surveillance around the UK with enforcement of sanctions imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Jenkins said the Royal Navy would continue monitoring the activity. He said: “While this is a welcome development, we know there is no room for complacency. Shadow fleet vessels continue to pose an unacceptable risk to maritime security and the environment, wherever they sail.”
He added: “That is why we remain vigilant and will continue to work alongside allies to uphold and enforce international law.”
The most recent 72-hour operation involved a Type 45 destroyer, Type 23 frigate and River-class patrol vessel, with the Russian group tracked south through the North Sea and English Channel before responsibility was handed to a NATO ally near Ushant.
Commander Oli Ayers, Commanding Officer of HMS St Albans, said the frigate was operating as part of a wider NATO effort to monitor Russian naval and merchant movements.
He said: “As part of the UK’s response to increased Russian activity within UK waters, St Albans was part of a group of NATO warships and aircraft escorting Russian warships and merchant vessels through the North Sea and English Channel, monitoring their activity.”
The Ministry of Defence said the Royal Navy expects similar operations to continue over the coming months as Russian military and commercial vessels transit waters around the UK.
This has to be the slowest war in the history of mankind.
The Cold War lasted 46 years..
Doubt it. 100 year war comes to mind immediately. Plus I’m sure there are many more ….
It is interesting.. as this was going on the government was criticised for not immediately deploying a force of ships to the eastern Mediterranean and or Middle East.
But this is what happens when a nation that is dependent on the sea and is at massive risk of attack from the sea does not with laser focus ensure its navy has the capability to exercise sea control and or sea denial over the parts of the ocean that are critically important to it..
That’s why the 96 white paper and 97 defence review specifically said the escort fleet should be 32 ships.. the 32 major warships with a load of mine warfare and patrol ships under that..
Those numbers were not about capability they were about the presence needed for sea all elements of sea control.. because capability cannot replace presence.. although 6 T45s had vastly more capability than 12 T42s they could not replace the most important presence element of sea control.. its why the larger navy if its doctrine is even will always generally beat the small navy that has better ships..
This really seems like a job we could do with drones and the occasional heavily armed wildcat popping up over the horizon to spook them rather the having 32 £1 billion warships patrolling off Spithead,
Five or six kraken drones surrounding my ship 24/7 and the occasional radar lock over the horizon would spook me if I was a Russian warship much more than a T45 following me around at a safe distance.
Its not so much the presence work in home waters.. it’s what can the navy do if Russia kicks off.. if the only deployable T45 is sitting 2 weeks away that’s a problem..
In the present world the RN needs to be able to get sea control in the high north and for that it needs a carrier, 2 T45s 2 ASW frigates and a couple of SSNs.. with that it can stop Russia doing nasty things to the UK and do some nasty things back.
Hi Jonathan I agree, however it’s worth noting that the answer to any naval crisis is not necessarily a warship. If Russia does kick off then the wildcat fleet will be a key capability for anti surface action. It’s a large fleet at nearly 30 aircraft, well armed and trained with Sea Venom and Martlett missiles.
On the Astute front we don’t know how much of an issue the fleet is having. If it’s anything like the USN then what we are seeing is vessels certification being delayed due to lack of dry docks space with crews onboard still training. ( not the nonsense or spare parts being traded between submarines like some in here keep spouting)
There is no reason those vessels can’t go to sea in the event of a major war with Russia.
T23 is the main problem and something that’s not going to be rectified for five years but the P8 fleet is in good order and combined with other European Allie’s it’s pretty large. Russia doesn’t have many operational submarines that can reach the Atlantic and European NATO members do operate around 90 frigates.
It’s hard to see the Russians not being slaughtered in the Atlantic in any conflict. There surface ships appear to have little to no defence against sea skimming missiles and their damage control is terrible. They have no airborne early warning at sea or any form of air covers and most of their surface units are bottled up in the Baltic and Black Sea or stuck in the pacific. They have proven with their channel patrols that they lack any form of logistic support or tankers to operate at sea even relatively close to home. They have some modern submarines but there are only four Yassen M class in service and the Royal navy has 5 Astute’s. Half the Yassen’s are stationed in the pacific and all but one of the Astutes will be stationed in the Atlantic long term so it’s likely the RN will continue to outnumber them in the Atlantic permanently.
No doubt Russia can fire some cruise missiles at us but we can do the same to them, Russia has been firing thousands of cruise missiles at Ukraine for nearly five years and achieved little so it’s hard to see the Russian navy losing much if an existential threat even with the RN in its current state much less in a few years once the issues are resolved.
So no real concerns regarding Russia then Jim. We seem to have all bases covered so what’s all the fuss about?
No, I’m desperately concerned about a war with Russia but overwhelmingly by its nuclear capabilities, especially its sub strategic weapons which we have little answer to without the US or France. This is where the budget should be going along side ballistic missile defence and conventional deep strike. The MoD recognises much of this which is why much of the new budget is going to items like deep strike and we are working on a number of systems with Germany that could be sub strategic nuclear delivery vehicles.
I am not massively concerned by Russias ability to project any form of naval power into the Atlantic because even if the UK some how got into a solo confrontation with Russia and some how our navy was unable to stop Russian submarines getting into the Atlantic then, realistically what would they do? Sink merchant ships?
Almost all Merchant ships headed to the UK are Chinese ships and they don’t come to the UK they go to Rotterdam and stop off at a UK port. Sinking such ships means declaring war on half the world and to get at them you need to operate in the Bay of Biscay right off France’s coast or in the Mediterranean, another NATO lake with one entrance right next to a Royal navy base.
Their submarines could enter the Atlantic and fire a few dozen cruise missiles at the UK but the UK is massive. What would a one time strike with a few dozen cruise missiles achieve? Very little beyond some minor disruption for a few weeks. Would that be worth risking your very precious nuclear submarine in European waters surrounded by world class ASW capabilities and a certain deceleration of war against a nuclear armed power and the largest alliance on Earth?
When you start putting Russian naval “capabilities” into real world context you start to realise just how limited they are which is why they waste billions on James Bond esq gimmicks like Poseidon and the Belgorod, their navy is largely bling and for propaganda purposes outside of their SSBN fleet.
The ‘hold the Atlantic’ premise for UK defence is an early-mid Cold War concept.
Later in the Cold War, the expectation became that the UK and USA would be fighting a moving anti-submarine war; battle groups would pen in the Russian boats, and then begin strikes against Murmansk and the northern bases, essentially shutting down the Northern Fleet from it’s doorstep.
Broadly, this remains the best way of dealing with the Northern Fleet, with the exception being that the UK should be aiming to do this without US assistance. Broadly, the fleet composition decisions outlined recently make sense.
6 attack boats and 8-13 frigates can hold the GIUK gap against the Russian fleet. 12 attack boats could easily break into the High North and hold Murmansk at risk.
The theoretical threat to this is the Russian ability to hold surface ships like the frigates at risk with long-range anti-ship missiles.
Leaving aside the questionable viability of this kill chain, the RN can employ both its destroyers and its available carrier as anti-air cover for roaming frigate patrols.
Beyond this, the RN needs a few constabulary frigates for escort operations in the Indo-Pacific and defence engagement. T31 is fine for this, though I’d prefer them to have some sonar so that they can be pulled back to aid the North Atlantic patrol groups if required.
The gap that I see is the ability to locate, track and prosecute Russian surface assets. If you can do that, the worry about long-range anti-ship missiles is reduced.
I’d be investing in additional space-based ISR, long-range anti-ship missiles, and mobile attritable sensor platforms…oh wait, the RN already is.
On paper, the RN is and will continue to be a very capable local force. Its current issues stem from infrastructure and support deficiencies, not through incorrect force design.
Any surface ship is now fairly easily tracked by satellite. We already have Azalea Flying that can do this, Oberon is flying next year and can also do this. It seems we have some form of arrangement with ICEye which has 80 SAR satellites in orbit today giving global coverage.
I think the apocalyptic threat of nuclear war is something that even Russia would step back from. If you look at the current Ukraine situation then we need to be capable of defending the UK from drones and ballistic / cruise missiles. Something similar to the dome system that Isreal uses would be good.
Yes I agree, Russian won’t lunch strategic strike against the UK because they know that is probably suicide and we would devastate Russia in return.
It’s the sub strategic threat that worries me. Russia knows we have little in the way of escalation ladder between our current limited deep precision strike and a full scale counter value strike.
If for instance they used a hypersonic missile with small nuclear warhead against Faslane they may assume that we may not escalate and that we may choose a negotiated surrender.
The Russians might calculate such a move with the US refusing to help may see the instant break up of NATO.
That’s the scenarios that worry me, not a lack of Frigates following solo Russian warships around the south coast.
“.What would a one time strike with a few dozen cruise missiles achieve? Very little beyond some minor disruption for a few weeks..”
I’m not so sure Jim. A few well placed strikes on a few power stations could do incalculable damage. The turbines, generators and reactors in these plants can’t just be ordered up on Amazon for 4/5 days delivery. You’re looking at months if not years for replacements to be fabricated, shipped and installed. All the while large swathes of the country are without electricity with catastrophic economic consequences. The same with solar and wind turbine arrays, if sn offshore windfarm is attacked and damaged, it’s likely to be offline for months.
Yes but as Ukraine has shown when you have many inter grid connectors and friendly neighbours it’s very hard to turn the lights off in a country using cruise missiles. As long as the wind is blowing and or the sun is shining the UK is now in a position where it doesn’t need a single turbine turning to power the country.
The UK also has some very high end capabilities to defend against cruise missiles with Typhoon and Sky Sabre and Russia has very few missiles that can reach the UK.
Is it worth Russia sending out its precious few remaining SSGN’s to do so little damage to the UK and risking a full scale retaliation from the UK and NATO.
If we are worried about Russian cruise missile attacks on the UK then frigates are not the answer.
The thing is though Jim, any winter storm or weather event always seems to expose just how brittle our energy infrastructure is. There is very little resilience if any. I accept that we have high end capability in Typhoon and Aster but they are scarce and cannot cover everything.
2 or 3 refineries, 2 or three interconnects, 2 or 3 power stations being destroyed will have massive economic impact. The sun may shine and the wind might blow but if the offshore windfarm is destroyed or the solar array destroyed then there’s no power.
Hi Posse, no doubt the Russians can hit things and cause a lot of disruption, but things get fixed, bottle necks bypassed. High power users like data centres get turned off, power gets sent from multiple sources the lights stay on.
The Russians have been firing tens of thousands of missiles at Ukraine for four years and the lights are still on. The UK has a far superior and more resilient energy system than Ukraine and the Russians can only fire a tiny amount of weapons at the UK in comparison.
We need to stop giving the Russians super powers that they don’t have.
Don’t think that’s a right approach here. Need real presence in their face. If the drones, Wildcats can be shot out of the sky by a well armed ship then what are you left with? No NSM here by the look of it either ? Not sure if Storm Shadow has any ashm capabilities? Tongue in cheek a bit but maybe now the surface fleet needs to increase by 25%? Even a few more T31s to do all this persistent patrolling along with some SSKs?
Quentin, the Russians are patrolling international waters guarding merchant ships in one of the busiest air and sea corridors in the world. Shooting down a wildcat would be an act of war.
Given the questionable state of Russian air defences and the apparently quite good state of their anti ship weapons Russia is far more likely to be successful in firing an anti ship missile at a British warship sitting near by than it is at a Wildcat over the horizon and either would be an act of war probably leading to the Russian warship being sunk pretty rapidly.
I understand but all this jostling around can easily flip. Great that the RN put three ships out here this considering how low ship stocks are. While waiting on the T26s and T31s and with the latter being more affordable why are they ordering only 5? Got to find the money and personnel, we know, but what an opportunity to boost fleet numbers by a few. The lack of any NSM here on the T45 and T23 too is saying something. How hard is that to remedy? And with all these channel transits happening why isn’t there some priority being given on the B1 River replacements given how useful and economical they’re and wpuldnt it make good sense to order more than 3? Do they honestly think drone ships can fully do the role of even the B1s? Maybe a pairing would work okay. But all that in the congested channel space environment ? Hope they let the B2s keep doing their more global role alongside the T31s.
Why have St Albans and Duncan not yet had NSM fitted? Height of RN complacency and incompetence at a time of heightened tensions and a constant RU maritime presence in and around the UK.
Probably ‘supply chain’ issues!
Richmond’s set?
Seems Norway can’t make them fast enough.
I think HMS Duncan was even in Denmark the other day. Why it could have popped up to Norway for a NSM upgrade then? They’re being very slow in getting this upgrade done. It’s almost as if they don’t really want it or too busy being focused on drones.
Because popping up to Norway is not the problem. Norway has a shortage, apparently even giving us some of their’s and they have cut the Malaysian navy order off for no stated reason. What ever the delay is it appears to be at Kongsberg.
Maybe on the next RN CSG trip down to Aus they can pop into Newcastle and get fixed up? The NSM cannister snd missiles bulit under licence. Not sure about actual systems, hardware, software. Seriously, sounds like some poor planning and not doing things sooner and now the queue is longer. Why wasn’t the Storm Shadow adapted for ashm use and tried ship launched if the Scalp version was from subs?
*sorry for the typos.
I truly feel ashamed when I look at my grandchildren and think of the state my generation, X, has left our country in. I fear it will be another several chapters in the history books about how the UK cut too much and didn’t prepare enough, which resulted in a military catastrophe and a huge loss of civilian life.
Don’t feel too bad, it’s was the baby boomers that did it.
No one in GEN X bothered to vote enough. They let the gray mafia suck the country dry 😀