UK warship shadows Russian sub in English Channel as NATO ramps up patrols

A Royal Navy patrol vessel has tracked a Russian submarine transiting through the English Channel as part of a NATO operation to monitor Russian naval activity in European waters.

The Portsmouth-based HMS Tyne was deployed to shadow the Kilo-class submarine Krasnodar as it made its surfaced journey from the eastern Mediterranean back to Russia, the Ministry of Defence confirmed on October 13.

The interception forms part of a wider NATO effort to ensure the security of Allied waters amid heightened tensions with Moscow. It comes just two weeks after HMS St Albans and HMS Mersey conducted similar shadowing operations of Russian vessels through the Channel.

Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard praised the crew for their swift and professional response.

“The Royal Navy has once again demonstrated its readiness to secure UK waters and protect the public,” Pollard said. “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.”

The operation coincides with the prime minister’s participation in the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) leaders’ meeting in Oslo, where the threat posed by Russia and the protection of critical Euro-Atlantic infrastructure are expected to dominate the agenda.

HMS Tyne’s Operations Officer, Lieutenant Bailey Denyer, emphasised that such missions are routine but vital.

“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,” he said.

The shadowing mission comes amid renewed commitment from the UK government to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, reinforcing its pledge to protect national security and strengthen NATO’s collective deterrence.

By Vugar Khalilov