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Royal Navy Shadows Two Russian Vessels Near English Channel as NATO Assumes Watch

11:36 PM, 11/24/2025
Royal Navy Shadows Two Russian Vessels Near English Channel as NATO Assumes Watch

The Royal Navy shadowed Russian corvette RFN Stoikiy and tanker Yelnya for about two weeks in the Dover Strait before NATO assumed monitoring off Brittany. HMS Severn and HMS Somerset carried out interceptions and maintained continuous surveillance. Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed the intelligence ship Yantar operated near northern Scotland and said engagement rules were tightened to allow closer tracking. Officials report a 30% rise in incidents involving Russian vessels over two years and warned military options are ready if needed.

British naval forces spent roughly two weeks shadowing Russian vessels near the English Channel before handing monitoring duties to a NATO ship off the coast of Brittany, French authorities and the UK Ministry of Defence said.

HMS Severn tracked the corvette RFN Stoikiy and the tanker Yelnya as they transited west through the Dover Strait in a continuous "round‑the‑clock" operation. HMS Somerset also took part in interceptions during the fortnight, demonstrating close coordination with NATO partners to protect maritime approaches to the United Kingdom.

Transfer of surveillance: Responsibility for trailing the Russian ships was later transferred to a NATO vessel operating off northwest France. A UK defence ministry spokesperson said a British ship continued to observe from a distance and remained ready to respond to any unexpected activity.

Wider security concerns: London reports a roughly 30% rise in incidents involving Russian vessels over the past two years. Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed that the intelligence‑gathering ship Yantar had been operating near the edge of UK maritime territory north of Scotland. He said engagement rules were adjusted so Royal Navy vessels can follow Yantar more closely when it is in the UK’s "wider waters."

"This tasking shows the value of our patrol ships and reinforces the Royal Navy's close liaison with our NATO allies in safeguarding the British people and protecting internationally recognised waterways," Commander Grant Dalgleish, HMS Severn's commanding officer, said.

British defence officials say Yantar is associated with Russia's Main Directorate for Deep Sea Research, an organisation they describe as conducting intelligence collection in peacetime and potentially enabling sabotage in conflict. Officials also noted unrelated online threats traced to Chinese actors that coincided with some of the vessel activity.

The corvette Stoikiy has been repeatedly tracked in UK waters, officials added. Defence Secretary Healey said the UK has "military options ready" should the situation escalate.

Context: The English Channel and Dover Strait are among the world’s busiest maritime choke points; nations routinely monitor foreign naval activity there to protect commercial traffic and national security. The recent uptick in Russian naval incidents has prompted closer cooperation between the Royal Navy and NATO allies.

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