A Russian Navy warship conducted a live-fire artillery drill roughly 46 miles off the coast of Plymouth on Monday, July 20, drawing close attention from the Royal Navy as tensions over Russian naval movements near UK waters continue.
The UK Ministry of Defence said the Russian frigate Neustrashimy informed the Royal Navy’s offshore patrol vessel HMS Tyne in advance that it intended to carry out the exercise. Before the firing began, a French military aircraft also established radio contact with the vessel to confirm its planned activities.
According to reports, HMS Tyne was instructed to move to a safe distance while the exercise was underway. The artillery drill lasted for about 30 minutes, after which British authorities continued monitoring the Russian ship as it remained in international waters.
The latest exercise adds to a growing number of encounters involving Russian naval vessels operating close to the UK. While Russian warships regularly transit the English Channel through international waters, they do not enter British or French territorial seas.
Last month, Royal Marine Commandos boarded a suspected Russian “shadow fleet” oil tanker in the English Channel during a six-hour operation. The mission was described as the first of its kind undertaken by UK armed forces.
Another incident occurred in June when a retired British couple sailing a 40-foot yacht near the Isle of Wight encountered the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich. Russian officials claimed the yacht approached the warship in an unsafe manner, while the couple rejected the allegation, insisting they had not been on a collision course.
The sailors said the Russian vessel sounded its horn before firing warning shots into the air. Former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer later criticized the action, describing it as “reckless.” The Russian Navy maintained that it had attempted to alert the yacht using radio communications, sound signals, and flares before taking further action.
Earlier this year, the Admiral Grigorovich was also shadowed by Royal Navy patrol ships for about a month while escorting Russian vessels through the North Sea, the Western Approaches, and other international waters.
In a separate operation late last year, HMS Severn intercepted the Russian corvette RFN Stoikiy as it passed through the Dover Strait before transferring monitoring responsibilities to a NATO ally near the French coast. During the same period, the Russian research vessel Yantar, known for its capability to survey undersea infrastructure, was also observed operating close to UK waters, raising concerns over the security of critical underwater cables.
