The Royal Navy and Royal Air Force have mounted a coordinated response to heightened Russian naval activity around the UK, shadowing multiple vessels in what has become an unusually busy fortnight for British maritime and air defences.
HMS Severn intercepted the Russian corvette RFS Stoikiy and the tanker Yelnya as they transited the Dover Strait, maintaining continuous overwatch as the pair moved west through the English Channel. The patrol ship later handed monitoring duties to a NATO partner off the coast of Brittany, while remaining on task and ready to respond to any unexpected manoeuvres.
The uptick in Russian presence has not been limited to surface vessels. The Russian ‘research ship’ Yantar, previously tracked by HMS Somerset and an RAF P-8A Poseidon aircraft near the edge of UK territorial waters off northwest Scotland, has continued to draw concern.
During the recent operations, Yantar’s crew reportedly used lasers against a P-8A in what officials described as “reckless and unsafe” behaviour. The Ministry of Defence also confirmed that the vessel was jamming GPS signals in the area, temporarily disrupting navigation systems on nearby merchant ships. HMS Somerset’s own systems were unaffected.
North Atlantic surveillance stepped up
To reinforce surveillance across the broader North Atlantic, three RAF P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft have deployed to Keflavik Air Base in Iceland, the largest overseas deployment of the UK’s P-8 fleet to date. The detachment is supporting NATO intelligence and anti-submarine patrols across the Greenland, Iceland, UK (GIUK) gap and the Arctic approaches, working closely with US and Canadian forces.
Aircraft from 120 Squadron have been flying frequent missions to monitor Russian surface ships and submarines operating in the region, maintaining situational awareness in waters viewed as vital to transatlantic security.
Rising tempo of Russian movements
British defence officials say Russian naval movements close to the UK have risen by roughly 30% over the past two years, contributing to a surge in intercepts and shadowing operations.
In recent weeks, HMS Duncan tracked the Russian destroyer RFS Vice Admiral Kulakov, while HMS Iron Duke monitored the Kilo-class submarine RFS Novorossiysk. In a separate mission, RAF Rivet Joint and P-8 aircraft conducted a 12-hour intelligence sortie along Russia’s northern and eastern borders, supported by a US tanker.
Officials say the increased tempo underscores the importance of the UK’s NATO-first approach to maritime deterrence and monitoring across the North Atlantic.
