RUSSIA WARNED OVER WARSHIP
British navy frigate intercepts warship near territorial waters in North Sea
AROYAL Navy frigate escorted a Russian warship on Christmas as it passed close to British territorial waters, the Defence Ministry said yesterday at a time of strained relations between London and Moscow.
The HMS St Albans monitored the Russian frigate Admiral Gorshkov in the North Sea, “keeping track of its activity in areas of national interest”, it said.
HMS St Albans, a Type 23 frigate, was deployed on Saturday to track the Russian vessel and returned to its Portsmouth base yesterday.
“I will not hesitate in defending our waters or tolerate any form of aggression,” Defence Minister Gavin Williamson said after the incident.
“Britain will never be intimidated when it comes to protecting our country, our people, and our national interests.”
The Defence Ministry said there had been a recent “upsurge in Russian units transiting United Kingdom waters”.
It said the patrol ship HMS Tyne also escorted “a Russian intelligence-gathering ship” through the North Sea and the channel on Sunday.
A navy helicopter was sent to monitor two other Russian vessels.
HMS St Albans was also involved in escorting a Russian aircraft carrier and missile cruiser through the channel in January.
Relations between London and Moscow have been hostile for years, with allegations of Russian meddling in Britain’s referendum on leaving the European Union and Moscow’s intervention in Syria on the side of the Damascus regime further straining already tense ties.
British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson clashed with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in Moscow last week even as they sought to mend relations. AFP