Royal Navy reports Russian warship and sanctioned oil tanker in English Channel

• A Royal Navy warship, HMS Mersey, and a Wildcat helicopter spent 48 hours monitoring the Russian frigate RFN Soobrazitelny and sanctioned tanker MV Anatoly Kolodkin in the English Channel.
• The operation, coordinated with Nato, involved using powerful radars and sensors to gather intelligence as the Russian vessels sailed westward.
• After separating, HMS Mersey tracked the frigate back east through the Channel, while the tanker continued into the Atlantic.
• Royal Navy commanders emphasised the importance of such operations for readiness, situational awareness, and safeguarding the UK's maritime environment.
• This monitoring follows a similar incident two weeks prior, where HMS Tyne and a Wildcat shadowed other Russian warships and cargo vessels through UK waters from the Mediterranean to the North Sea.