The Royal Navy has been forced to intercept five Russian vessels which were spotted in UK waters as two warships and a helicopter were sent to monitor the boats

Royal Navy vessels and choppers have been keeping a close eye on five Russian ships cruising through UK waters in the first week of July. Plymouth’s HMS Iron Duke, Portsmouth’s patrol ship HMS Tyne, and Wildcat aircraft from 815 Naval Air Squadron were all scrambled for three separate missions in the North Sea and English Channel between 1 and 8 July.

Working hand-in-glove with NATO allies, the Royal Navy team kept a constant vigil on the Russian fleet, which included two Steregushchiy-class corvettes, a tanker, a bulk carrier and a Smolnyy-class training ship.

The Royal Navy revealed: “This all took place as allied nations took part in a significant exercise in Portland aimed at helping Ukraine make the Black Sea safe.”

As part of the operation, dubbed Sea Breeze, Royal Navy divers and mine clearance experts joined forces with HMS Iron Duke, fresh from planned maintenance in Devonport.

After a three-month pit stop that also allowed her crew some well-earned shore leave following intense patrols in UK waters, the Baltic Sea and Norway, Iron Duke is back on the front line.

Commander David Armstrong, the top dog aboard HMS Iron Duke, declared: “It is great to be back at sea protecting the UK’s territorial Seas and Critical National Infrastructure.

“This week’s activity perfectly showcases our seamless interoperability with NATO allies and our strategic partnership with Ukraine, as seen in our joint Mine Countermeasures capabilities during Exercise Sea Breeze.

“Defending the sovereignty of the UK and our NATO allies is at the core of the Royal Navy’s mission, and we take immense pride in the operational impact we have in securing the UK’s maritime domain.

“As we mark our 17th activation as Fleet Ready Escort in 12 months, I’m struck by the unwavering professionalism, resilience and steadfast sense of duty consistently on display.”

The first call to action saw HMS Tyne and HMS Iron Duke shadowing the Smolnyy-class training ship as it journeyed west from the North Sea, through the English Channel to the northwest of France before passing the baton to a NATO ally.

Immediately reassigned to return to the North Sea, HMS Tyne kept tabs on the movements of Steregushchiy-class RFN Boikiy along with a Russian tanker, General Skobelev, and bulk carrier, MV Sparta.

Iron Duke and a Wildcat monitored Boikiy – last spotted just a fortnight ago by HMS Duncan and HMS Mersey – and the accompanying vessels until they reached Ushant island at the southwestern tip of the Channel on the French coast – once again handing over to an allied warship.

A quick logistics stop was made in Portsmouth, before Iron Duke resumed action – this time tasked to intercept RFN Soobrazitelny and closely observe the Steregushchiy-class corvette as she journeyed back from the Eastern Mediterranean – through the Channel and into the North Sea on her way to a Russian Baltic port.

During this hectic period, Iron Duke also participated in Sea Breeze where a dozen allied and partner navies – including Ukrainian Navy minehunters – practised and honed techniques to tackle the latest underwater devices and threats plaguing Black Sea waters.

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