British Navy warship shadowed Russian submarine passing through English Channel

9 May 2025, 19:59 | Updated: 9 May 2025, 20:01

Crew members from the Russian Navy stand on the submarine RNS UFA as it is about to dock at North Jamrud pier of Tanjung Perak port. Picture: Getty

By Josef Al Shemary

A Royal Navy warship has shadowed a Russian submarine as it travelled through the English Channel.

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Portsmouth-based HMS Tyne was deployed as part of a Nato operation to keep a watch on the kilo-class submarine Krasnodar as it made its surfaced journey back to Russia from the eastern Mediterranean.

It is the latest deployment of a UK warship to follow Russian vessels through the Channel, with HMS St Albans and HMS Mersey involved in similar operations two weeks ago.

Armed forces minister Luke Pollard said: "The Royal Navy has once again demonstrated its readiness to secure UK waters and protect the public.

"Our sailors acted swiftly and decisively to a potential Russian threat, and I pay tribute to their dedication, courage and professionalism.

"National security is a foundation of the Government's plan for change and we are giving our armed forces what they need to keep us secure home and strong abroad."

HMS Tyne's operations officer Lieutenant Bailey Denyer said: "Activations like the one we've seen on this patrol to track Krasnodar are our bread and butter - defending UK sovereignty and that of our Nato allies is at the very heart of what the Royal Navy does."

A Royal Navy spokesman said: "The patrol vessel intercepted Krasnodar on entry to the English Channel near the French coast, reporting on every move as it made its eastward journey before handing over duties to allies as the submarine left UK waters.

"Earlier in its journey, Krasnodar was tracked by a Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter of 815 Naval Air Squadron deployed with the UK Carrier Strike Group (CSG) in the Atlantic.

"Once responsibility for Krasnodar had been handed over, HMS Tyne was quickly back on new tasking to shadow Russian Steregushchiy-class corvette Boikiy as it headed westward from the Baltic Sea, through the busy Dover Strait."

British warships have been involved in numerous tracking missions of Russian submarines and ships, especially since the Russian Navy has been withdrawing from Syria after the fall of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime.