Yesterday Royal Navy frigate HMS Somerset and minehunter HMS Cattistock, together with an RAF aircraft, monitored a Russian convoy of two warships and two merchant vessels passing close to the UK.
On Sunday RFA Tideurge shadowed the Russian destroyer RFS Severomorsk heading west through the Channel. The destroyer later met up with a Russian convoy coming from the Mediterranean. On Monday the group passed eastward through the Dover Strait with HMS Somerset closing the Severomorsk and a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft monitoring the group from above. HMS Cattistock also was involved in the operation, arriving in Harwich today.
This is probably the final ‘Syrian Express’ convoy, the group sailed from Tartus on 2nd March and is returning to Russia with evacuated military equipment. The group comprised the Udaloy-class destroyer, a Rapoucha-class landing ship, RFS Shabalin and the cargo ships MV Sparta IV and MV Siyane Severa. This is routine work for the Royal Navy and the transport convoys are unlikely to pose much of a threat.
The fall of the Assad regime in Syria in December 2024 resulted in a temporary increase in the number of Russian ships in the Channel and North Sea, with each movement monitored by the RN in a combined effort with the French, Belgian and Netherlands navies. This is a reminder to the Russians that their military will not be allowed close to the UK without a strong response and will be closely watched.
We now have unarmed RFAs carrying out monitoring of Russian ships?
Unfortunately this isn’t even the first time, one of the other convoys (in February?) was being shadowed by a Tide class.
Blimey. Please keep up, We have been doing this for decades…. WTF are you missing about all this ? Simple explanation for you. Russian Ships either take the short route through the English Channel or go around the long way. The English Channel is a free and legal route as long as Russian (*or any other nations ) ships obey International laws, this includes the requirement for Russian Submarines to pass through whilst surfaced, They Obey all these rules every time. We are not at war, your comment is a little lacking in knowledge and quite frankly I believe you need to find another site more suitable to your understanding of World events.
I’m aware of my lack of knowledge and the legal status of the Channel. However if we are going to escort warships through the channel it is my personal opinion that it should be done by actual warships, not the RFA.
It was done with “Actual warships” it even says so in the article if you bother to actually read it. Again I’ll point out the painfully obvious but we are not at war. Open your mind a little, think about it.
Could not agree more with you, PuddlePirate. RFA ships are not patrol vessels, much less warships.
Russian ships do not obey the rules. 15 of their Dark Fleet oil tankers pass through the English Channel every day. They are uninsured, they don’t meet current safety standards, they don’t use their AIS, they damage our seabed infrastructure en route, and every one that gets through adds another $50 million to Putin’s gargantuan war chest.
We would be within our rights to deny these ships innocent passage, on the grounds that they are a clear and present danger to our fisheries and marine environment, for which we would have to pay the clean up costs. But we don’t have the assets in place to do so.
So please cancel CSG25 and keep the carrier battle group in the North Sea. Stop every dodgy looking oil tanker that comes along, board it, and enforce IMO regulations to the letter, until they give up and go the long way round.
Just for helicopters but same as thre Russians sending a LST and olier.
Urm the HMS Somerset is nothing to Wright home about.
Neither is that Udaloy.
H.H.S Somerset is quite capeable despite its age I suggest.
Really? A type 23 with NSM/ Sea Ceptor and a highly trained RN crew is probably one of the lost lethal combinations out there.
That’s kind of a stretch…
Why are we letting These Russian ships in our Walters! We should be stopping them , and move them on.
Since the English Channel passes through UK and French territorial waters, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) Article 17-19 grants all vessels the right of innocent passage, meaning they can pass through as long as they do not engage in hostile or illegal activities.
The UN convention also precludes any member nation invading another sovereign Nation…. tell that to Russia… the whole situation is akin to Germany 1939….
Ask Cyprus about their part occupation by Nato member Turkiye since the mid 70s. ?
https://www.gov.cy/mfa/en/documents/turkish-military-invasion-and-occupation/
Being a commonwealth and EU country didnt help them.
Britain and US invaded Iraq of course, despite asking and not getting UN security Council approval.
Dont forget US national Guard is still in occupation of Serbian province of Kosovo.
Modern history needs to be taught more as I just think all big countries dont follow the rules and that should be recognised
Check in with Greenland or Panama on so called ‘conventions’
Cyprus isnt Commonwealth.
Do try to keep up
https://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries
Cyprus, Malta and GB of course are the only ones in Europe.
Both Panama and Greenland did what they were told and now they are not in the news anymore… Pat
China has rejected the Hutchison Whampoa bid to sell off its terminals
“We should be stopping them and moving them on”
Deary me.
But only if they are called Walter!!
‘Udaloy’ means Daring in Russian so in name at least, the Severomorsk is the equivalent of a T45!
Apparently they have VLS for missiles, does anyone know where on the superstructure it is?
Oh that’s awesome! Thanks for that snippet.
Hi there, the Udaloy I class has its VLS cells mounted in 8 cylindrical packs of 8 missiles. 4 of these can be seen forward of the main gun at the bow. While the other 4 are mounted between the aft hangar and smoke stack.
The system is a short range complement of SA-N-9 for self defence. Similar arrangements of the same 8 missile canisters were found on the Neustrashimiy class, Kuznetzov class and modified Kiev class Admiral Gorshkov (now converted to INS Vikramaditya).
Our waters ,,go away politely methods,, no go ? Get sunk ! Nosey Russian scum ! Sorted ok 👌 Ex forces Regards A Clarke
Stupid comment regardless of your claim.
As was mentioned above, the Channel is an international right of way. We can’t say otherwise and expect to get passage through others claimed territory. We are trying to stand up for the rules (Lord knows, somebody needs to), not break them.
As you say though, they have to keep moving, they have rights of passage not rights to loiter, so we shadow.
If we are using RFA tankers to do patrol tasks then the game really is a bogey.
Has the RFA taken on the role of a Coast Guard capability we don’t have?
Really poor show — our naval weakness on public display.
Has the RN brains trust given up?
They pretend to fund us and we pretend to protect the UK?
Absurd to use a 30K tonne tanker to monitor a foreign naval vessel.
Box ticking gone mad — surely Westminster can see this shambles for what it is?
The RN is phoning it in.
Sorry but you are talking rubbish. These ships are being used to monitor the Russian vessels through the English Channel, just like many other naval ships from different countries do. They are not there to engage them in battle, surely you have read that this happens all the time ?
Also you should know that Tides are often in Falmouth, Plymouth, Portland and also in the channel so they are Ideally placed to do this work.
Asking a tanker to do coastguard work is stupidity on a stick.
This is all down to a lack of hulls.
30K tonne tanker — not ideal for this role.
Just highlights how weak we are.
We can’t find a stores ship to support the PoW — bad.
We need to use a tanker to monitor our sea-lanes — bad / double bad.
Performative nonsense.
Surprised the Russians didn’t try to ram her.
There is a lot of it about at the moment.
Claim it was an accident.
Was our tanker carrying a cargo at the time?
Why not Email the MOD ? Let us know their reply. personally I have no issues with this as we are not at war. As far as I’m concerned we could send Brixham Trawlers to monitor them.
From Nelson to Captain Birds Eye — how the mighty have fallen.
Not a good look but probably a fair reflection on where we are as a country.
Starmer has got a tough job on his hands.
Don’t worry, He has a plan to freeze Pensioners in their own homes, make the disabled unable to live and upgrade the accommodation of at least 41 thousand “visitors”.
Alternative views are available.
Winter fuel allowance — bigger Christmas presents / tip money for their next cruise.
Needing help — Pension Credit is the correct benefit.
You do know that pensioners have more spending power now than non pensioners. Look at the adverts on the TV — more about hearing aids / fancy beds and less about nappies.
PIP payments — being spread a lot further than planned / warranted.
Caused a big spike in the Motability claims.
20% of new cars are on Motability.
Big drop in 2014 but not anymore — record levels now.
Welfare spend — not a cut more of a reprofiling.
The bill will still increase just a case that the increase will be £5bill less in 2030 than current projections suggested.
Games are getting played — the needy are being crowded out by a growing number of people who think a bad day / temp crisis means a life on benefits.
Probably a bit harsh but that is our national direction of travel.
Everybody has mental health issues — just a case with some you spot them that more easily than you do with others. Setting the hurdle for outside help and intervention is the tough bit.
Progressive politics needs to learn to say no.
Starmer is at least giving it a go.
Giving it a go whilst living in his Ivory Tower.
I guess you are not a long term sufferer of a debilitating health issue or living on the breadline whilst watching healthy rich people trying to make your life even worse ?
It’s OK though, I see where you are coming from.
That is the issue.
If you want a credible / useful welfare system to continue then you have to manage demand and manage resource allocation.
Easiest way to remove the welfare state as we know it is to generate public cynicism in its operation and reduce public confidence in its effectiveness.
Large increases in the numbers involved in the welfare budget will only intensify these negatives.
Then you have the issue of where the resources to fund the payments will come from.
The welfare state is about depth and also breadth.
Spread it too widely and those in the most need lose out.
Increase its depth and more people will apply as they see it as their best way forward in challenging circumstances.
Current plans are about breadth and not depth.
How many people can our society support on welfare?
People are not queueing up to pay more tax.
There are no easy sources of revenue.
Agricultural tax gymnastics ???!!!???
Balancing act — not for the faint hearted.
Mass “Die in” by the Disability Lobby vs Mass tractor rally in Whitehall.
Cynics will notice the high quality of the wheelchairs involved and the high specification of the million dollar tractors on show.
Given what is know about his extended family — Starmer does not come from an ivory tower.
That is what probably what separates him from other North London “progressives” and why he wants change.
Corbyn’s background was free and easy middle class.
Add in some self loathing and he will fall for every sob story going.
Starmer’s background was a lot less resource rich.
Consequently probably more aware of the reality of modern life.
More money does not equal better outcomes.
Don’t ever get Ill mate, trust me it ain’t no fun being disabled and long term Ill with no money or way out.
30 years not being able to breathe and not getting any benefits because of pride and some rather simple fear of what others might think, can lead you to a really low place.
I’m guessing you can breathe and still be fit and active yes ? I guess your bones and muscles are still good ? I guess you don’t suffer from all the side effects of treatments that were given to keep you alive ?
I’m sure you understand what I’m saying though.
It’s great to see Starmer giving it a go though.
Jim, you’ve kind of lost the point here…
So here’s the 64,000 dollar question, what happen to those River class OPV’s that the UK built. Maybe they should consider building two squadrons worth of River class OPV’s to guard their Home waters. Those 8 they have are not protecting their home waters and maybe another 8 River class OPV’s can help cover their home waters.