Royal Navy keeps watch over seven Russian warships in English Channel

Royal Navy patrol ships have been keeping watch on seven Russian warships as they pass through the English Channel.

Portsmouth-based ships HMS Tyne, Severn and Mersey have been monitoring the Russian Federation navy vessels as they sailed closed to the UK.

They also tracked a surfaced Algerian submarine as it travelled back to its north African home.

HMS Mersey met up with a trio of vessels – frigate Admiral Kasatonov, a supporting tug Nikolay Chiker and tanker Vyazma – off Ushant in France and stayed with them through the Channel and Dover Strait and into the North Sea.

A Navy spokesman said: “Her monitoring mission was made more challenging by adverse weather conditions such as high winds and large sea states which meant the Russian ships took longer than usual to pass through as they sheltered in more confined waters before resuming their journey.

“HMS Mersey’s ship’s company worked around the clock to ensure that the three Russian ships passed the area safely.”

Published: 19/04/2021 by Radio NewsHub