Royal Navy Tracks Russian Frigate for One Month Off UK Coast

The Royal Navy tracked and followed a Russian frigate every day last month as it sailed from the Atlantic to the North Sea. The Russian navy’s Admiral Grigorovich escorted six Russia-linked vessels during April, including at least three under economic sanction passing east through the Dover strait.

Four UK ships and helicopters monitored the frigate continuously. The frigate maintained its presence near Britain by taking on supplies near Galloper windfarm off the Suffolk coast. Naval spotters believe it remains in the North Sea. A second Russian frigate, the Admiral Kasatonov, passed through the Channel toward the end of April escorting two merchant ships believed to be heading to Tartus in Syria.

One of those merchant ships, the Sparta, is associated with the transport of arms. That convoy was monitored by a British auxiliary ship, the RFA Tideforce. The operations reflect a wider commitment of the UK’s naval resources as maritime tensions between London and Moscow increase.

Russia relies on a shadow fleet of often old, poorly maintained tankers sailing under third country flags for roughly half its seaborne oil exports. UK officials announced on March 25 that the military was authorized to seize ships subject to existing economic sanctions transiting UK waters.

No such seizures have occurred since that announcement. The presence of Russian warships appears to have deterred intervention. Other European countries have seized shadow fleet vessels this year. Sweden detained five tankers, the last of which was boarded on Sunday.

France seized two Russia-linked tankers with UK assistance, though each was released after the owners paid a fine. Belgian special forces seized an oil tanker bound for Russia with French help at the end of February. The US seized a tanker in early January that was reportedly escorted by a Russian submarine.

One month ago, the defence secretary stated that the British navy had followed three Russian submarines on a month-long mission sailing over pipelines and cables near UK waters. A security expert with the Atlantic Council said the Russian escort of tankers was disproportionate because navies normally only escort vessels when there is a clear military threat.