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Royal Navy warships track Russian vessels for three days in UK waters

The 72-hour surveillance forced Russia to deploy costly military resources and drove sanctioned ships south through the North Sea and English Channel, officials said.

  • On August 21, HMS Duncan, HMS St Albans, and HMS Severn monitored the Russian destroyer RFS Admiral Levchenko as it escorted sanctioned cargo ships MV General Skobelev and MV Sparta through the English Channel.
  • Royal Navy activity monitoring Russian vessels increased 25% during the first eight months of this year, often involving Moscow's 'shadow fleet' of ageing tankers used to evade sanctions and fund the war in Ukraine.
  • The 'intense' 72-hour operation involved radar monitoring and surveillance from a Merlin helicopter; vessels were later handed over to a NATO ally off the coast of France near Ushant.
  • First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins said monitoring operations force Moscow to divert "costly military resources," adding that shadow fleet vessels "continue to pose an unacceptable risk" to maritime security.
  • Western officials characterized recent Russian rhetoric on Friday as part of "long-standing Russian military doctrine" designed to "exploit fears" and influence decisions rather than reflect imminent threats.
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The battleships of the Russian Navy accompanied the sanctioned cargo ships through the Channel of La Mansh, reported to the Royal British Navy, the "Admiral Levchenko" destroyer and the "Unfrigate" frigate, are transmitting "Vesti." They provided security for the cargo ships "General Skoblev" and "Sparta." The British warships, including the HMS Duncan destroyer, the HMS St. Albans frigate and the HMS Severn patrol vessel, monitored the Russian …

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Russian warships escorted merchant ships into British territorial waters through the Channel Channel, while HMS Duncan, the HMS St. Albans frigate and the HMS Severn guardship of the British Navy remained only for 72 hours to observe the passage through the North Sea

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Navy tracks Russian warships in English Channel during ‘intense’ operation

Officials said British warships shadowed the task group before handing over to a Nato ally off the coast of France last week.

·London, United Kingdom
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UK Defence Journal broke the news in Glasgow, United Kingdom on Saturday, August 29, 2026.
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