Royal Navy scrambles warships twice this month as Russian threat in UK waters looms

A Russian spy ship "loitering" in waters off the Outer Hebrides has been monitored by the Royal Navy's HMS Dragon after the completion of major NATO exercise Formidable Shield that took place nearby. The Portsmouth-based Type 45 destroyer continued to watch and launched her Merlin helicopter to collect information from above, until the Yuri Ivanov headed north towards its home in the Arctic.

Meanwhile, HMS Ledbury, HMS Hurworth and 814 Naval Air Squadron were activated to shadow RFN Stoikiy as the Russian warship sailed west through the Channel to meet two merchant vessels, Sparta IV and General Skobelev, which were returning from the Mediterranean. The Steregushchiy-class corvette subsequently escorted the two cargo ships eastbound, with Portsmouth-based HMS Hurworth watching every move as the Russian group headed back to the Baltic Sea as part of combined NATO efforts.

This five-day operation follows the Prime Minister's historic commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP to protect working people and deliver on the foundation of our Plan for Change.

Lieutenant Commander James Bradshaw, Commanding Officer of Hunt-class minehunter HMS Hurworth, said: "Monitoring activity on the seas and seabed around the UK is one of the core roles of the Royal Navy's 2nd Mine-Countermeasures Squadron.

"This operation was all in a day's work for the ship's company who have shown great professionalism.

"We have kept a constant watch to ensure the security and integrity of the UK's critical sea-lanes."

HMS Ledbury met Stoikiy late on May 18, monitoring the Russian warship through the Dover Strait during its westbound journey - before HMS Hurworth took over on May 19 off Brighton.

Hurworth kept watch as Stoikiy met the two merchant vessels south-west of Land's End, with the minehunter then tracking the group eastbound through the Channel and into the North Sea until the operation ended on the afternoon of May 22.

During the eastbound transit, a Merlin Mk2 from 814 Naval Air Squadron based at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose monitored the Russian group, with aircraft and warships from NATO allies also involved.

Lieutenant Commander Craig Clark, Commanding Officer of HMS Ledbury, said: "Escorting Russian vessels through UK waters is a vital demonstration of our unwavering commitment to national security.

"Whilst the Hunt-class is uniquely equipped for mine and sea-bed warfare, maritime security remains a crucial task that any Royal Navy warship is trained to undertake."

Able Seaman Mine Warfare Wayne Slater, from HMS Hurworth, said: "Driving the ship close to the Russian vessels has been a new experience for me as a helmsman.

"Everything has been safe and professional but we're all trained to make sure we can respond to any aggression or incident whenever non-allied warships are operating near UK waters."

Lieutenant Patrick Bingham, Gunnery Officer from HMS Hurworth, added: "As a former merchant navy officer, I know how important freedom of the seas is to the lifeline of goods and raw materials upon which our economy depends.

"The Royal Navy has been a guardian of the freedom of the seas for centuries and I am privileged to have contributed to this mission."

Russian naval activity around the UK has intensified significantly in recent years, particularly since President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Intelligence officials have reported a marked increase in the number of Russian submarines and spy ships operating near British waters.

These vessels are believed to be mapping undersea infrastructure, including internet cables and pipelines, raising concerns about potential sabotage.

The Ministry of Defence has warned that such manoeuvres form part of a broader campaign of hybrid warfare aimed at undermining Western security.