A Royal Navy patrol ship and helicopter have tracked Russian naval and merchant vessels transiting through the English Channel during a 48-hour operation in UK waters.
HMS Mersey, supported by a Wildcat helicopter from 815 Naval Air Squadron, was deployed to monitor the movements of the Steregushchiy-class frigate RFN Soobrazitelny alongside the sanctioned oil tanker MV Anatoly Kolodkin.
The vessels were observed sailing westward through the Channel, with the Royal Navy maintaining continuous surveillance using shipborne sensors and airborne tracking.
At the western end of the Channel, the two vessels separated. The tanker continued into the Atlantic, while HMS Mersey tracked the Russian warship as it turned back east through the Channel.
“This operation provides a clear example of Mersey’s readiness and operational capability in monitoring Russian vessel movements through our waters,” said Lieutenant Commander Dan Wardle, Commanding Officer of HMS Mersey.
“Our coordination with allied forces further amplifies our situational awareness and response capacity, ensuring we are able to safeguard the integrity of our maritime environment.”
The operation forms part of ongoing efforts to monitor Russian naval activity around the UK, often conducted in coordination with NATO allies.
“In an increasingly contested and uncertain world, the work of HMS Mersey and 815 Naval Air Squadron is another example of the Royal Navy’s enduring commitment to protecting UK home waters,” said Fleet Commander Vice-Admiral Steve Moorhouse.
The latest activity follows a series of recent operations tracking Russian vessels through UK waters. In one case, Royal Navy units monitored a Ropucha-class landing ship and an accompanying merchant vessel as they transited from the Mediterranean through the Strait of Gibraltar and into the Channel and North Sea.
A further operation saw another Ropucha-class vessel and cargo ship tracked westbound through the Channel, with Royal Navy ships and helicopters maintaining surveillance throughout.
