- News
- UK
- Home News
The Royal Navy intercepted a Russian warship and tanker in the Dover Strait and English Channel
James C. ReynoldsSunday 23 November 2025 16:25 GMTComments
File photo - Patrol vessel HMS Severn shadowed the two Russian vessels (PA Archive)
Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world
Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email
Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email
Email*SIGN UPI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice
The Royal Navy intercepted a Russian warship and a tanker off the coast of the United Kingdom.
HMS Severn, a patrol vessel, shadowed the RFN Stoikiy corvette and a tanker vessel in the past fortnight, the Ministry of Defence said on Sunday.
The navy monitored the Russian movements as they sailed through the Dover Strait and west through the English Channel. The ministry did not say exactly when the interception happened.
HMS Severn later handed over monitoring duties to a NATO ally off the coast of Brittany, but continued to observe from a distance, the MoD said.
The ministry reported a 30 per cent increase in Russian vessels “threatening” UK waters in the past two years.
The announcement came just days after defence secretary John Healey said that a Russian spy ship was spotted on the edge of UK waters, where it pointed lasers at RAF pilots tracking it.
While tracking spy ship Yantar, a Royal Navy frigate and other civilian ships experienced GPS jamming, as has been recorded in warzones.
The frigate HMS Somerset’s combat capabilities were not affected, the MoD said.
More follows....
More about
warshipRoyal NavyUKJohn HealeyMinistry of DefenceNatoJoin our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments
