Royal Navy says it spent 21 days in July monitoring Russian vessels around UK waters

The Royal Navy says it spent 21 days in July shadowing Russian ships in the Dover Strait and the North Sea, as it reported a rise in activity around UK waters. It said patrol operations to monitor Russian vessels were up 25% last month compared with the same period a year earlier. The activity involved offshore patrol vessels, helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft deployed to track repeated Russian voyages.

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According to the report, HMS Tyne, HMS Mersey and HMS Severn were used alongside Wildcat helicopters from 815 Naval Air Squadron and Merlin submarine-hunting aircraft. The vessels were shadowing Russian frigates Neustrashimy and Admiral Grigorovich, which were described as escorting so-called shadow fleet tankers. The report also said HMS Tyne monitored Neustrashimy during a live-firing exercise outside British and French waters on 20 July.

The Royal Navy said the increase in Russian naval activity has required more frequent deployments to protect UK waters and keep watch on shipping routes. It said the Ministry of Defence recorded 116 activations of Royal Navy vessels in the year to March 2026, during which ships shadowed 61 Russian warships and 28 merchant vessels around the UK. The same report said this reflected a 30% rise in Russian naval activity over the previous two years.

The issue matters because the UK sees Russian naval movements as part of a wider pattern of pressure around critical sea lanes and infrastructure. The report linked the activity to the use of ageing shadow fleet vessels, which are widely understood to be used to move oil while avoiding sanctions. It also said Russian ships are being diverted to escort those tankers, reducing operational capacity elsewhere.

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The report placed the latest monitoring effort in the context of earlier incidents, including the sighting of the spy ship Yantar near undersea cables off Scotland last November. It also followed the seizure of the tanker Smyrtos by Royal Marines in June, which the report described as the first time British troops had directly boarded a shadow fleet vessel. The UK has already imposed sanctions on more than 500 vessels, according to the report.

What remains unclear is whether the higher level of Russian activity will continue through the coming months or prompt further UK measures. The report did not say whether the latest monitoring led to any direct confrontation at sea. It also did not give details of any change in Russian operational plans beyond the repeated voyages and escort activity described by the Royal Navy.

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