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The Royal Navy recently intercepted two Russian naval vessels as they navigated through the English Channel, according to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). HMS Severn was tasked with tracking the Russian corvette RFN Stoikiy and the tanker Yelnya as they moved westward through the Dover Strait into British waters over the last two weeks. This operation reflects ongoing tensions stemming from Russian military activity near the UK coastline.
In a related event, the Russian spy ship Yantar was observed off the Scottish coast, where it reportedly used laser devices to interfere with Royal Air Force pilots monitoring its movements. Defence Secretary John Healey condemned the incident, describing the use of lasers as “deeply dangerous.” He issued a pointed message toward Russia and President Vladimir Putin, stating, “We see you. We know what you’re doing. We are ready.”
Healey also highlighted a notable escalation in Russian naval presence near the UK, noting a 30% rise in vessels threatening British waters over the past two years. After trailing Stoikiy and Yelnya, HMS Severn transferred monitoring responsibilities to a NATO ally stationed off the coast of Brittany. However, the Royal Navy vessel continued to keep a watchful eye on the Russian ships from a distance, prepared to respond if any unexpected maneuvers occurred.
This is not the first occasion that Stoikiy has been spotted in proximity to UK territory. In May, the Royal Navy deployed two vessels and the 814 Naval Air Squadron, renowned as the “flying tigers,” to monitor the Russian warship as it passed through the English Channel en route to rendezvous with other vessels returning from the Mediterranean. Defence Secretary Healey has attributed the increased Russian naval activity around UK waters to broader Russian aggression affecting Europe as a whole, not just the conflict in Ukraine. HMS Severn, commissioned in 2002 as a River-class offshore patrol vessel, continues to play a key role alongside its sister ships in escorting foreign warships, inspecting fishing vessels, and safeguarding the UK’s maritime borders
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