Two Russian warships tried cruising through the English Channel—but the Royal Navy wasn’t having it.
HMS Severn intercepted the corvette RFN Stoikiy and the tanker Yelnya, keeping a close eye as they sailed past Dover.
Sounds tense? That’s just the latest in a string of Russian naval intrusions.
Just last week, the spy ship Yantar was spotted off Scotland, reportedly using lasers to interfere with RAF pilots.
Defence Secretary John Healey didn’t mince words: “We see you. We know what you’re doing. We are ready.”
In fact, Healey says Russian vessels threatening UK waters have surged by 30% over the past two years.
The Stoikiy isn’t new to British territory either.
Navy Monitors Russian Ships
Back in May, Royal Navy ships shadowed it through the Channel as it rendezvoused with other Russian vessels returning from the Mediterranean.
After this latest interception, HMS Severn handed monitoring duties to a NATO ally near Brittany.
It kept watch from a distance but was ready for anything unexpected.
HMS Severn, a River-class patrol ship built in 2002, isn’t alone.
Its sister ships—HMS Tyne and HMS Mersey—are on standby to escort foreign warships, inspect fishing vessels, and defend the UK border.
As Healey puts it, these maneuvers are a sign of growing “Russian aggression right across the board,” not just in Ukraine.
So, next time a Russian warship shows up near the UK, it won’t be going unnoticed.
