Russian Navy submarine escorted off UK’s coast

June 8, 2016

Two months after a Russian naval group was escorted through the English Channel, a Royal Navy warship is following a Russian submarine in the same region since June 5.

Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Kent located the Kilo class submarine Stary Oskol in the North Sea on Sunday, and shadowed it as it sailed south past the eastern coast of the UK.

The navy said the boat was moving south towards the Dover Straits, sailing on the surface, which is not uncommon for that type of vessel.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: “This shows that the Navy is maintaining a vigilant watch in international and territorial waters to keep Britain safe and protect us from potential threats.”

HMS Kent’s Commanding Officer, Commander Daniel Thomas, said: “Locating this submarine was a combined effort with NATO allies and shadowing such units is routine activity for the Royal Navy. We continue to escort the submarine as it conducts its passage, providing a visible presence.”

HMS Somerset intercepted the Task Group off Brest as it approached the south west of the UK last Wednesday, March 23 and escorted it through UK waters until they turned for home on March 29.

The March 2016 escort operation involved HMS Somerset and was aided by French frigate ‘La Motte-Picquet’ and the Dutch offshore patrol vessel ‘Friesland’.

Back then, the Royal Navy noted that Russian Warships of the Northern and Baltic Fleets routinely passage through UK area waters en route to deployments in the Mediterranean and Gulf regions.