UK Royal Navy warship shadows Russian tanker through the Channel

UK Royal Navy warship HMS Mersey has tracked the movements of the Russian Navy’s tanker Akademik Pashin through the Channel towards the North Atlantic.

Following HMS Portland’s recent tracking of two Russian submarines in the UK’s area of interest, the Portsmouth-based patrol ship was called upon to monitor the movements of the Russian vessel from the North Sea, through the Dover Strait and down the leg of the Channel towards the open waters of the North Atlantic.

The Russian vessel is said to be the first tanker built for the Russian Navy since the end of the Cold War, supplying the ships of the Northern Fleet with the fuel they need to sustain operations.

Able seaman Jordan Mavin, who was on watch and who detected the Pashin visually, said: “I was chuffed to be the first person to get ‘eyes on’ and identify her. We were aware of her movements for some time and everything came together to allow us to shadow her. Operating so close to our own coastline I was proud to be part of the team who monitored her movements.”

The Pashin has continued its voyage into the Atlantic, while HMS Mersey has resumed its patrols of home waters, Royal Navy informed.