UK warship tracks Russian submarine through English Channel Photo / Video

A Royal Navy vessel has shadowed a Russian submarine in the English Channel, in a coordinated NATO effort to monitor Russian naval movements through European waters.

The patrol ship HMS Tyne, based in Portsmouth, was deployed to track the surfaced Kilo-class submarine Krasnodar as it travelled from the eastern Mediterranean back to Russia, Caliber.Az reports, citing British media.

The vessel intercepted the submarine as it entered the Channel near the French coast and monitored its progress through UK waters before handing over the operation to allied forces.

This latest operation comes just two weeks after separate Royal Navy ships shadowed Russian naval vessels through the Channel. HMS St Albans was activated to monitor the Russian frigate Admiral Golovoko as it sailed eastwards, while HMS Mersey tracked the corvette Soobrazitelny heading in the opposite direction. It marked the second deployment for HMS St Albans in April, having previously been tasked with monitoring the Steregushchiy-class corvette Stoikiy over a three-day period.

As part of the latest mission, a Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter from 815 Naval Air Squadron—operating with the UK Carrier Strike Group in the Atlantic—initially tracked Krasnodar earlier in its voyage.

Following the handover of duties, HMS Tyne was rapidly reassigned to shadow another Russian warship, the Steregushchiy-class corvette Boikiy, as it transited westward from the Baltic Sea through the busy Dover Strait. HMS Tyne, along with 815 Squadron, later monitored the corvette’s return passage to the Baltic, which included its escort of three merchant vessels.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed the activity ahead of a meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) in Oslo on May 9, where leaders are expected to discuss enhanced measures to protect critical national infrastructure across the UK and wider Euro-Atlantic region.

Luke Pollard, Minister for the Armed Forces, praised the Royal Navy’s actions, stating: “The Royal Navy has once again demonstrated its readiness to secure UK waters and protect the public. 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 at home and strong abroad.”

Lt Bailey Denyer, Operations Officer aboard HMS Tyne, added: “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.”

By Aghakazim Guliyev