Royal Navy shadows Russian warship off Isle of Wight in security mission
Royal Navy vessels have tracked the movements of a Russian warship travelling off the Isle of Wight coast through the English Channel.
HMS Mersey, a patrol ship often seen in the Solent, took over shadowing duties from Type 45 air defence destroyer HMS Duncan as the Russian corvette RFN Boikiy made its way back from deployment in the Gulf of Guinea.
The operation, which involved careful monitoring of the vessel as it passed along the south coast of England, saw HMS Mersey meet the warship off the coast of the Island on Friday (June 20).
A Royal Navy spokesperson confirmed that the Portsmouth-based destroyer HMS Duncan first intercepted RFN Boikiy near the French island of Ushant before the handover to HMS Mersey.
Portsmouth-based destroyer HMS Duncan
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The move is part of a wider effort to keep tabs on foreign naval activity in the UK's waters.
Luke Pollard, Minister for the Armed Forces, said: 'Russian warships are increasingly sailing through the English Channel, and every time they do, a Royal Navy vessel will be keeping an eye on them.
'I have every confidence, as should the British public, that our Royal Navy will continue to defend our waters and keep our undersea cables safe.'
The Channel has seen heightened naval attention in recent months.
HMS Mersey docked in Falmouth (Image: David Barnicoat)
This latest mission follows closely on the heels of a similar operation involving HMS Trent and Wildcat helicopters, which monitored the passage of Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich past Gibraltar and through the Channel into the North Sea.
Commander Daniel Lee, commanding officer of HMS Duncan, stressed the importance of these missions: 'Escorting foreign warships through waters near the UK is a vital part of our mission to protect our nation and uphold international maritime law.
'It's a clear demonstration of our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our seas, which are so important to the lives and livelihoods of the British people.'
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