The United Kingdom has increased its monitoring of Russian military activity in UK waters and the North Atlantic, with Royal Navy operations rising by 25 per cent in the first seven months of 2026 compared with the same period last year.
The UK Ministry of Defence said on Saturday that Royal Navy warships and helicopters spent 21 days conducting operations in July to monitor Russian warships and submarines.
Four Royal Navy vessels — HMS Somerset, HMS Tyne, HMS Mersey and HMS Severn — were deployed alongside Wildcat helicopters from 815 Naval Air Squadron and Merlin submarine-hunting aircraft.
The ministry said the Russian frigate RFN Neustrashimy had repeatedly transited the UK’s area of responsibility while escorting vessels described by the UK as part of Russia’s shadow fleet.
It said the activity was placing additional demands on Royal Navy resources as the vessels were monitored.
The increased monitoring comes after the UK intercepted the sanctioned shadow fleet oil tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel in June.
The British government said it had sanctioned more than 500 vessels as part of efforts to disrupt Russia’s shadow fleet, which it said was helping sustain Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine.
Royal Navy Monitors Russian Frigate
On July 20, Portsmouth-based HMS Tyne monitored Neustrashimy as the Russian frigate conducted gunnery exercises outside UK and French territorial waters.
According to the Ministry of Defence, HMS Tyne moved to within five nautical miles of the Russian vessel while observing the exercise and gathering intelligence.
The ministry said Neustrashimy fired about 20 rounds from its main 100mm weapon and additional rounds from its 30mm battery during the exercise.
The commanding officer of HMS Tyne, Lieutenant Commander Sam Fields, said the deployment allowed the Royal Navy to monitor the Russian vessel while maintaining other operational commitments.
“Through sustained presence and close cooperation with allies, HMS Tyne was ideally suited to this task, providing reassurance and monitoring while enabling other Fleet units to continue their operational commitments,” Fields said.
HMS Somerset also completed a four-month deployment monitoring surface and underwater activity in the North Atlantic.
The Plymouth-based Type 23 frigate, equipped with underwater sensors and an embarked Merlin anti-submarine warfare helicopter, returned to the UK on Friday after travelling more than 24,000 nautical miles.
Its commanding officer, Commander Matt Millyard, said the deployment involved tracking submarines, working with NATO allies and the Carrier Strike Group while maintaining a high state of readiness.
“This deployment demonstrates exactly what the Royal Navy exists to do, protect the UK and our allies from wherever our interests are threatened,” Millyard said.
HMS Severn Conducts Multiple Monitoring Missions
Meanwhile, HMS Severn was activated twice in July to monitor Russian warships.
It initially shadowed RFN Admiral Grigorovich as the frigate travelled east from the French island of Ushant towards Dover.
The patrol vessel was subsequently deployed from July 23 to 26 to monitor Neustrashimy, taking over from HMS Mersey in the North Sea.
Severn monitored the Russian frigate as it escorted the shadow fleet tanker MV Vulkan from the Baltic Sea through the Dover Strait towards Ushant.
HMS Severn and HMS Mersey later handed over monitoring duties again as Neustrashimy travelled west towards Dover after completing the escort mission.
The executive officer of HMS Severn, Lieutenant Commander Dom Jacobs, said the ship’s crew had adapted to changing operational requirements while continuing its training duties.
“I’m really proud of my ship’s company’s ability to adapt quickly to changes of tasking from Fleet Ready Escort to our training output as the Fleet Navigation Training Ship,” Jacobs said.
He added that the deployment demonstrated the versatility of the crew and other offshore patrol vessels in carrying out different operational tasks.
The increased Royal Navy activity comes as Britain continues to strengthen surveillance of Russian military and maritime activity around its waters and in the North Atlantic amid heightened tensions linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine.