Russian warship carries out live-fire exercise off Plymouth coast

A Russian frigate has carried out a live-fire artillery exercise about 40 nautical miles south of Plymouth, in international waters. The vessel, identified as Neustrashimy, was shadowed by a Royal Navy ship during the incident. A French military aircraft was also monitoring the warship and made radio contact to ask it to clarify its intentions.

Sponsored

The exercise took place on Monday and lasted for 30 minutes, according to the supplied report. Before opening fire, the Russian warship informed HMS Tyne that it intended to conduct gunnery activity. It then requested that the Royal Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel move to a safer distance, and HMS Tyne complied.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said the Royal Navy monitored the exercise and was continuing to track the vessel's activity closely. The incident adds to a series of recent encounters involving Russian naval activity near UK waters. It comes after a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker was boarded in the English Channel last month in a six-hour operation, and after a Russian warship fired warning shots near a British couple sailing in international waters off the Isle of Wight in June.

The location and timing of the exercise are likely to draw attention because they come amid heightened scrutiny of Russian naval movements around the UK. The report says Russian warships regularly pass through international waters in the Channel, which are separate from UK and French territorial waters. Even so, the proximity of a live-fire drill to the south coast of England is likely to be viewed as significant by defence officials and maritime observers.

Sponsored

The incident also highlights the role of allied monitoring in the area. In this case, both the Royal Navy and a French military aircraft were involved in observing the frigate's movements and intentions. The report does not say whether the exercise was pre-notified beyond the exchange with HMS Tyne, and it does not indicate that any shots were fired outside the planned drill.

What remains unclear is whether the exercise was linked to any wider Russian naval deployment or intended as a signal. The report also does not say how long the frigate remained in the area after the firing ended. Further official comment may clarify whether the vessel's movements formed part of a broader pattern of activity near UK waters.

#Russianwarship #Plymouth #RoyalNavy #HMSTyne #livefireexercise