Russian activity prompts surge in Royal Navy monitoring operations

Royal Navy warships and helicopters spent 21 days on operations monitoring Russian activity in UK waters and the North Atlantic throughout July – a 25% increase in the last year, according to new figures recently released.

HMS Somerset, HMS Tyne, HMS Mersey and HMS Severn were all dispatched, alongside Wildcat helicopters from 815 Naval Air Squadron and Merlin submarine hunting aircraft, to report on the movements of warships and submarines throughout July.

How the Royal Navy is tracking Russia’s shadow fleet

Russian frigate RFN Neustrashimy has repeatedly transited the UK’s area of responsibility to escort shadow fleet tankers within recognised traffic lanes, using up valuable operational capacity to constantly guard cargo.

Overall, Royal Navy activations to monitor Russian activity is up 25% across the first seven months of the year compared to 2025. It comes after the UK interdicted a sanctioned shadow fleet oil tanker, Smyrtos, in the English Channel in June.

The UK is a leader in tackling the shadow fleet, having already sanctioned more than 500 vessels and Russia’s oil and gas revenues falling by 24% year-on-year in 2025.

How the UK is responding to increased Russian maritime activity

By disrupting the shadow fleet, the UK and international partners are directly bearing down on the resources sustaining Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and reducing its capacity to threaten security across Europe and beyond.

Portsmouth-based HMS Tyne was on duty when Neustrashimy carried out gunnery firings outside of UK and French territorial waters on 20th July.

HMS Tyne moved to five nautical miles as the Russian warship fired her armaments, continuing to gather intelligence during the incident, observing the fall of shots fired from her weaponry, including around 20 different shots from main 100mm armament and 30mm battery.

Lieutenant Commander Sam Fields, Commanding Officer of HMS Tyne said: “Through sustained presence and close cooperation with allies, HMS Tyne was ideally suited to this task, providing reassurance and monitoring while enabling other Fleet units to continue their operational commitments.”

How HMS Somerset monitors Russian naval activity

For Type 23 frigate, HMS Somerset, her tasking was part of her four-month deployment monitoring surface and sub-surface activity in the North Atlantic, contributing to the UK’s standing operation to protect Britain’s nuclear deterrent and monitoring potential submarine activity.

The Plymouth-based warship – deployed with a powerful array of underwater sensors and with its embarked Merlin anti-submarine warfare helicopter from 814 Naval Air Squadron – returned home on Friday 7th August, having sailed more than 24,000 nautical miles across the North Atlantic.

HMS Somerset’s Commanding Officer, Commander Matt Millyard said: “This deployment demonstrates exactly what the Royal Navy exists to do, protect the UK and our allies from wherever our interests are threatened.

Royal Navy maintains readiness as Russian deployments increase

“I am immensely proud of every single member of the ship’s company for what we have achieved over the past four months. Whether it’s tracking submarines, working alongside NATO allies and the Carrier Strike Group, or maintaining the ship at exceptionally high readiness for so long, their professionalism and spirit has been outstanding.

“It is fantastic to bring the ship home after a highly successful deployment and reunite with our families.”

Meanwhile, HMS Severn was twice activated in July to monitor Russian warships, shadowing RFN Admiral Grigorovich as the frigate sailed eastwards from the island of Ushant on the French coast to Dover.

Following that, the patrol ship was dispatched on a three-day mission (23rd-26th July) to intercept and shadow Neustrashimy, taking over monitoring duties in the North Sea from HMS Mersey.

Severn kept watch as Neustrashimy escorted shadow fleet tanker MV Vulkan from the Baltic, through the Dover Strait and towards Ushant. Severn and Mersey then handed over again as Neustrashimy made a westward voyage towards Dover once she had completed escorting the Vulkan.

Lieutenant Commander Dom Jacobs, Executive Officer in Temporary Command of HMS Severn, said: “I’m really proud of my ship’s company’s ability to adapt quickly to changes of tasking from Fleet Ready Escort to our training output as the Fleet Navigation Training Ship.

“This shows the versatility of my crew and the other OPVs to deliver a range of tasks demonstrating our continued relevance and operational value.”