- Maritime operations to monitor Russian activity up 25% across
the first seven months of the year.
- Royal Navy have deployed four warships and naval helicopters
to protect UK waters during 21 days of intense operations.
Royal Navy warships and helicopters spent 21 days on operations
monitoring Russian activity in UK waters and the North Atlantic
throughout July a 25% increase in the last year, new figures
released today show.
HMS Somerset, HMS Tyne, HMS Mersey, and HMS Severn were all
dispatched, alongside Wildcat helicopters from 815 Naval Air
Squadron and Merlin submarine hunting aircraft, to report on the
movements of warships and submarines throughout July.
Russian frigate RFN Neustrashimy has repeatedly transited the
UK's area of responsibility to escort shadow fleet tankers within
recognised traffic lanes, using up valuable operational capacity
to constantly guard cargo.
Overall, Royal Navy activations to monitor Russian activity is up
25% across the first seven months of the year compared to 2025.
It comes after the UK interdicted a sanctioned shadow fleet oil
tanker, Smyrtos, in the English Channel in June.
The UK is a leader in tackling the shadow fleet, having already
sanctioned more than 500 vessels, and Russia's oil and gas
revenues falling by 24% year-on-year in 2025.
By disrupting the shadow fleet, the UK and international partners
are directly bearing down on the resources sustaining Russia's
aggression in Ukraine and reducing its capacity to threaten
security across Europe and beyond.
Portsmouth-based HMS Tyne was on duty when Neustrashimy carried
out gunnery firings outside of UK and French territorial waters
on July 20.
HMS Tyne moved to five nautical miles as the Russian warship
fired her armaments, continuing to gather intelligence during the
incident, observing the fall of shots fired from her weaponry,
including around 20 different shots from main 100mm armament and
30mm battery.
Lieutenant Commander Sam Fields, Commanding Officer of
HMS Tyne said:
Through sustained presence and close cooperation with allies, HMS
Tyne was ideally suited to this task, providing reassurance and
monitoring while enabling other Fleet units to continue their
operational commitments.
For Type 23 frigate, HMS Somerset, her tasking was part of her
four-month deployment monitoring surface and sub-surface activity
in the North Atlantic, contributing to the UK's standing
operation to protect Britain's nuclear deterrent and monitoring
potential submarine activity.
The Plymouth-based warship deployed with a powerful array of
underwater sensors and with its embarked Merlin anti-submarine
warfare helicopter from 814 Naval Air Squadron returned home
yesterday (Friday, 7 August) having sailed more than 24,000
nautical miles across the North Atlantic.
HMS Somerset's Commanding Officer, Commander Matt
Millyard said:
This deployment demonstrates exactly what the Royal Navy exists
to do, protect the UK and our allies from wherever our interests
are threatened.
I am immensely proud of every single member of the ship's company
for what we have achieved over the past four months. Whether it's
tracking submarines, working alongside NATO allies and the
Carrier Strike Group, or maintaining the ship at exceptionally
high readiness for so long, their professionalism and spirit has
been outstanding.
It is fantastic to bring the ship home after a highly successful
deployment and reunite with our families.
Meanwhile, HMS Severn was twice activated in July to monitor
Russian warships, shadowing RFN Admiral Grigorovich as the
frigate sailed eastwards from the island of Ushant on the French
coast to Dover.
Following that, the patrol ship was dispatched on a three-day
mission (July 23-26) to intercept and shadow Neustrashimy, taking
over monitoring duties in the North Sea from HMS Mersey.
Severn kept watch as Neustrashimy escorted shadow fleet tanker MV
Vulkan from the Baltic, through the Dover Strait and towards
Ushant.
Severn and Mersey then handed over again as Neustrashimy made a
westward voyage towards Dover once she had completed escorting
the Vulkan.
Lieutenant Commander Dom Jacobs, Executive Officer in
Temporary Command of HMS Severn, said:
I'm really proud of my ship's company's ability to adapt quickly
to changes of tasking from Fleet Ready Escort to our training
output as the Fleet Navigation Training Ship.
This shows the versatility of my crew and the other OPVs to
deliver a range of tasks demonstrating our continued relevance
and operational value.
