London - Saba:
The Royal Navy announced in a statement that its warships and helicopters monitored five Russian vessels that allegedly passed through British waters earlier this month.
The statement, issued on Tuesday, said:
“The frigate HMS Iron Duke, based in Plymouth, the patrol vessel HMS Tyne, based in Portsmouth, and Wildcat aircraft from 815 Naval Air Squadron were deployed in three separate operations in the North Sea and English Channel between July 1 and 8.”
The Navy clarified that the British ships also took part in the “Sea Breeze” exercise in Portland.
The Royal Navy added:
“The Royal Navy task group worked closely with NATO allies as they continuously monitored Russian activity, which included two Steregushchy-class frigates, an oil tanker, a cargo ship, and a Smolny-class training vessel crossing British waters.”
The Navy further explained that the two warships (HMS Tyne and HMS Iron Duke) tracked the Smolny-class training ship as it headed westward from the North Sea, through the English Channel, to northwest France.
One of the Steregushchy-class frigates was monitored as it returned from the eastern Mediterranean through the English Channel to the North Sea.