UK naval vessel intercepts Russian tanker and corvette
A ROYAL Navy ship has intercepted a Russian product tanker and naval vessel in the English Channel, the UK’s ministry of defence confirmed.
HMS Severn intercepted Russian corvette RFN Stoikiy and Russia-flagged, 1968-built, 5,045 dwt product tanker Yelnya (IMO: 6813095) in a “round the clock shadowing operation as the Russian vessels sailed through the Dover Strait and westward through the English Channel”, the ministry confirmed.
“HMS Severn later handed over monitoring duties to a Nato ally off the coast of Brittany, but continued to observe from a distance and remained ready to respond to any unexpected activity.”
HMS Severn commanding officer Commander Grant Dalgleish said the operation “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”.
The move follows a gradual intensification of tensions in the English Channel and Baltic Sea.
Every nation on the route from Russia’s Baltic ports out to the Atlantic Ocean has now committed to insurance checks of shadow fleet* tankers. Fighter jets were scrambled from both Russia and Nato after shadow fleet tanker Jaguar (now BlintIMO: 9293002) was intercepted by Estonian forces earlier this year.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey said on November 19 that Russian spy ship Yantar was “used for gathering intelligence and mapping undersea cables” operating in UK waters north of Scotland.
The Ministry of Defence said Yantar’s crew directed lasers at the crews of RAF aircraft tracking it “in a reckless and dangerous act”.
“We see you. We know what you are doing. And we are ready,” Healey said.
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