The British Royal Navy intercepted the Russian corvette RFN Stoikiy and the tanker Yelnya in November as they entered British Channel through the Strait of Dover, in the latest in a series of incidents involving Russian ships and British waters, the BBC reports.
It was also revealed in November that a Russian ship, which Moscow says is conducting research, was spotted off the coast of Scotland. The ship’s crew fired laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, which is considered a very serious offence and carries a prison sentence in Britain. British Defence Secretary John Healey also said that Yantar’s actions were dangerous and that the British knew what the Russians were doing and were prepared for it.
Healy said the number of Russian vessels posing a threat in British territorial waters had increased by 30% in the past two years. The Ministry of Defence said that
after the interception of the RFN Stoikiy and Yelnya, the British transferred their surveillance to NATO allies.
The British warship continued to monitor them from a distance, remaining ready to take action if the Russian ships took any unusual actions.
This is not the first time that the RFN Stoikiy has entered British territory. In May, the British sent two ships and 814 Squadron to escort a Russian warship into the English Channel. The warship met with merchant ships and escorted them to the Baltic Sea.
Healy said that the increase in Russian activity in British waters was evidence that the Russians were expanding their aggression everywhere, and this was affecting not only Ukraine but also all of Europe.
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