The Russian navy has stationed a warship approximately 30 miles off the British coastline to oversee the safe passage of numerous sanctioned tankers through the Channel, right under the surveillance of the Royal Navy.
This Russian warship is accompanied by a second naval vessel, a supply ship, which enables the armed Russian frigate, armed with cruise and surface-to-air missiles, to remain positioned near the UK coast.
Over recent operations, the vessel has escorted multiple sanctioned Russian tankers through the Channel, raising concerns of supporting Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine.
Working in sync, the two vessels, including the sizable 122-meter supply ship, support the Russian frigate in patrolling waters near the Galloper wind farm off the Suffolk coast, as reported by the i outlet.
According to data from Starboard Maritime Intelligence, the Admiral Grigorovich has escorted more than a dozen “shadow fleet” tankers through the English Channel.
The Russian ships occasionally enter UK waters, likely as a move by Putin to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer, sparking fears of a potential escalation into armed conflict.
Naval expert Elisabeth Braw from the Atlantic Council expressed concerns about the risky refuelling operations between the vessels, warning of a possible ecological disaster in British waters due to the inherent risks of ship-to-ship transfers.
The presence of armed escorts with sanctioned oil tankers sends a clear message, suggesting that enforcing sanctions on Russia could escalate beyond a mere law enforcement issue, potentially leading to armed conflicts.
The proximity of the vessel to critical UK infrastructure, like offshore wind farms, has alarmed NATO allies, prompting a NATO monitoring mission with the Dutch Royal Navy vessel DSS Galatea tracking and monitoring the Russian ship’s movements through the North Sea.
