Russian Frigate Conducts Live-Fire Exercise Off UK Coast as Royal Navy Watc
The Russian frigate Neutrashimy, which has just taken up position, it appears, in the English Channel, caused a stir on Monday, July 20, when the vessel conducted a live-fire gunnery exercise off the coast of the UK. The vessel was being observed by both the Royal Navy and the French military, reports the BBC.
Russia has had warships in the area of the Channel for months, escorting tankers and other strategic vessels. Most recently, it was the Russian frigate RFS Admiral Grigorovich (4,000 tons displacement) that had been observed in the Channel. At times, the warship appeared to be drifting possibly to conserve fuel. It, however, caused its own media stir when it fired warning shots at a private boat that it thought was coming too close for comfort.
RFS Admiral Grigorovich was observed returning to Kaliningrad on July 16. The following day, the UK’s Sky News reported that the Neustrashimy had been seen east of Clacton-on-Sea, north of the Channel, and not far from Felixstowe. It appeared to be receiving fuel and stores from a Russian supply ship.
HMS Tyne, a River-class offshore patrol vessel, was assigned to shadow the Russian frigate. Commissioned in 1993, the Neutrashimy is slightly larger (4,300 tons displacement) but largely comparable to the frigate she appears to have replaced. She is one of only two vessels in a class of ships that Russia had planned to build but canceled a third vessel.
A spokesperson for the UK’s Ministry of Defence confirmed to the BBC that the Royal Navy was observing the frigate today. According to the report, she was approximately 40 nautical miles off the coast near Portsmouth when she informed HMS Tyne that she was going to conduct the artillery exercise. BBC reports the Russians recommended the Royal Navy vessel move to a safer distance before the 30-minute exercise. The BBC also reports that a French aircraft made radio contact with the Russian frigate to clarify what it would be doing.
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The exercise came the same day as the UK government turned over, with Sir Keir Starmer officially resigning as Prime Minister. The King asked Labour Party politician and former Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, to form the new government.
Under Starmer, the UK had finally moved to crack down on the Russian shadow fleet after a long debate on how to enact the efforts. The UK stopped and seized a shadow fleet tanker that it said was stateless. The captain of the vessel has been ordered to stand trial later this year, with the UK alleging he was aware and responsible for sanction violations by transporting Russian oil.
