Royal Navy scrambled to shadow hundreds of Russian warships in just 2 years

Fears of war have surged after it was revealed the Royal Navy had escorted over 100 Russian ships and submarines in the past two years.

Baroness Annabel Goldie said the Royal Navy had shadowed Russia’s submarines in the Uk’s marine area. The reports could unnerve the Kremlin as their subs are allegedly undetectable.

Baroness Goldie told peers: “In 2021 the Royal Navy escorted 66 Russian warships through UK waters; 41 such warships were escorted in 2022.

“During the same period, the Royal Navy also located and tracked several Russian submarines in the UK’s marine area to guard against intrusion into UK sensitive waters.”

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The reduction in the number of Russian ships and submarines in British waters has been put down to Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine depleting resources experts claim.

Earlier this year, the Royal Navy reportedly ordered their Type 45 Daring Class Destroyer HMS Defender to track a Russian flotilla in the English Channel.

The ship reportedly shadowed the Admiral Grigorovich and two Stereguschiy II-class corvettes through the channel. Aircraft from the RAF were also involved in the operation.

Speaking about the operation, HMS Defender’s Commanding Officer Commander Peter Evans said they were ready to respond to any threats.

Commander Evans explained: “HMS Defender is the Fleet’s quick reaction escort, which means we’re ready to respond to any threats to the nation’s safety or security.

“Escorting ships through UK waters is a routine activity for the Royal Navy and demonstrates our commitment to the vital sea lanes upon which the UK depends.”

Speaking to the Mirror, Former First Sea Lord Admiral Lord West explained they were monitoring the situation “very closely”.

He said: “I do hope we are monitoring very closely the Russian ships that are likely to interfere with our undersea cables and undersea infrastructure – power lines, oil and gas pipelines.”

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Lord West added: “This is a real threat and we need to be able to check all the time when one comes into our waters, we need to track where they’re going so we have an absolute handle on what’s being done and what we need to check on.

“We need to move with some sense of urgency on this because the damage that can be done would be catastrophic economically to our country.”

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Defence purchased a ship later renamed the RFA Proteus to protect critical national infrastructure.

In a statement, they said the 6,000-tonne vessel would act as a mothership for “seabed warfare”.

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