The British Royal Navy and NATO allies jumped into action on Saturday as a Russian warship was spotted sailing through the English Channel, according to a report.
UK warships greeted the Russian frigate called Admiral Golovko near Plymouth, Eng., with a frigate of their own which was aided by a naval helicopter, according to the Royal Navy.
“[His Majesty’s Ship] St. Albans is at very high readiness to operate whenever, and wherever, the nation needs us in the protection of our home and the waters surrounding it,” the responding ship’s commanding officer Matt Teare said.
“HMS St. Albans is currently operating as part of a NATO Task Group and the regularity of Russian activity around the United Kingdom reinforces the vital importance of continuous integration with our allies and partners,” Commander Teare said.
The RFN Admiral Golovko was sailing through the Channel on its way back to its main base in Severomorsk after completing naval exercise Friendship Bridge 2025 in the Mediterranean Sea, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The Admiral Golovko is described as a multipurpose ship and is armed with missiles designed for missions in offshore maritime and ocean zones, the Ministry claimed.
Two other Russian ships were traversing the busy waterway, including RFN Soobrazitelny and Russian tanker Kola, both which were monitored by joint NATO forces, the Royal Navy reported.
In March, another Russian warship traveling from Syria was spotted by the Royal Navy traversing the Channel, the Sun reported.
Ship Baltic Leader was believed to part of the “Syrian Express” — which was a supply route from Russia to the war torn Middle Eastern country where one-time Putin ally Bashar al Assad ruled until last year, that outlet reported.
