Three Royal Navy ships are shadowing Russian Navy task force warships close to UK waters

The Royal Navy has three warships shadowing a Russian Navy task force near to the UK’s waters as the three ships are heading back to Russia from the eastern Mediterranean after supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Royal Navy has sent Type 23 frigates HMS Westminster, HMS Lancaster and HMS Richmond who are tracking the “Russian cruiser, Marshal Ustinov – the sister ship of the ill-fated Moskva which sunk in the Black Sea – and destroyer, Vice-Admiral Kulakov, plus their tanker, in waters close to the UK.”

Also HMS Mersey are tracking a Russian military research vessel, the Akademik Ioffe which is currently sailing through Dover’s shipping lanes heading into the Channel.

Read more on Russia-Ukraine war:

Putin ‘has yet to achieve any of its strategic objectives’ and Ukraine are making ‘real gains’ in Kherson pushing back Russian forces

Special Forces destroy a FSB unit and blow up a Russian warehouse full of ballots for a ‘pseudo-referendum’

Russian forces given a 10 day deadline to end the war by securing ‘the whole of Donetsk Oblast’ which is ‘highly unlikely’

Panic is rife amongst Russian troops who are on the brink of surrender as ‘everything is lost, we have been abandoned’

A Royal Navy spokesman said, “The frigates and their helicopters used an array of cutting-edge sensors and modern naval technology to keep close watch in the Celtic Sea and through the English Channel.”

HMS Westminster’s commanding officer (CO) Commander Ed Moss-Ward said: “Maritime security in the sea areas around the UK is crucial to our prosperity and resilience.

We're watching…

The #RoyalNavy's @HMSLANCASTER, @HMS_Westminster & @HMS_Richmond tracked Russian cruiser, Marshal Ustinov – the sister ship of the ill-fated Moskva which sunk in the Black Sea – and destroyer, Vice-Admiral Kulakov, plus their tanker, in waters close to the UK.

— Royal Navy (@RoyalNavy) September 6, 2022

“The Royal Navy routinely responds to escort warships in UK territorial waters and the adjacent sea areas to ensure compliance with maritime law, to deter malign activity and to protect our national interests.

“Escorting the Russian task group has demonstrated that the Royal Navy is committed to maintaining maritime security and to co-operating with our NATO allies.”

Commander Tom Johnson, CO of HMS Lancaster, said: “Working together allows NATO allies to respond to security challenges at pace and collectively deter potential aggressors.

“Exchange of personnel further deepens NATO cohesion and interoperability so that the alliance can swiftly and efficiently react to any threat.”

Lancaster’s team work exceptionally hard to ensure we are always ready to respond to any threat at a moment’s notice.”