Royal Navy Shadows Russian Warships in Coordinated NATO Operation Through English Channel

Royal Navy warships conducted a coordinated two-day interception operation in the English Channel, shadowing Russian naval vessels as they transited toward the North Sea in close cooperation with NATO allies.

Portsmouth-based patrol ships HMS Mersey and HMS Severn, supported by a Wildcat helicopter from 815 Naval Air Squadron, were dispatched to monitor the Russian corvette Boikiy and the accompanying oil tanker MT General Skobelev as they passed through UK waters—one of the world’s busiest and most strategically sensitive shipping corridors.

HMS Mersey initially took over shadowing duties as the Russian vessels entered the Channel, relieving NATO warships that had tracked the group through the Bay of Biscay. Near the Isle of Wight, Mersey was joined by HMS Severn and the Wildcat helicopter, enabling persistent surveillance using shipboard sensors and airborne reconnaissance.

“This operation provided another opportunity for my ship’s company to demonstrate their continued readiness and ability to safeguard the United Kingdom’s maritime interests,” said Lieutenant Commander Dan Wardle, commanding officer of HMS Mersey. He added that operating alongside HMS Severn and NATO partners allowed for “the sharing of experience and best practice,” underscoring the strength of allied naval cooperation.

As the Russian ships entered the North Sea, HMS Severn maintained close surveillance before handing responsibility back to NATO allies. The vessels were returning from a deployment in the Mediterranean and remained under continuous observation throughout their transit.

Lieutenant Commander Ross Gallagher, senior observer and executive officer of 815 Naval Air Squadron, said the operation highlighted his unit’s high readiness and ability to deliver “precise surveillance, rapid reporting, and tactical clarity at pace,” ensuring a clear operational picture throughout the transit.

Mediterranean Shadow Fleet Operation

The Channel operation coincided with separate Royal Navy activity in the Mediterranean, where patrol boat HMS Dagger monitored the tanker Grinch ahead of its boarding by French naval forces. The vessel is among 544 ships currently designated as part of Russia’s shadow fleet under UK and European sanctions for facilitating the transport of sanctioned oil.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey said disrupting Russia’s shadow fleet remains a top priority, confirming British support for the French boarding operation. “The UK has provided tracking and monitoring in support of the French operation to board the tanker Grinch, including HMS Dagger monitoring the vessel through the Strait of Gibraltar,” Healey said.

“Allied nations are intensifying their efforts to choke off the funds that fuel Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine,” he added.

Pattern of Escalating Maritime Enforcement

The latest activation follows a similar operation just two weeks earlier, when HMS Mersey and a Wildcat helicopter intercepted the Russian Udaloy-class destroyer Severomorsk, along with merchant vessels Sparta IV and MYS Zhelaniya, during their southbound transit through the English Channel.

Britain’s armed forces routinely track and monitor Russian naval activity and suspected shadow fleet operations in and around UK waters, sharing intelligence with allies as part of broader efforts to enforce sanctions and safeguard European maritime security.

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