The Royal Navy has once again closely monitored the passage of a Russian Navy attack submarine as it transited through the North Sea and the English Channel. This incident is not an isolated case; in recent years, the surveillance of Russian naval units has become a regular practice by both British and NATO forces, as part of broader efforts to safeguard national waters and reinforce the United Kingdom’s maritime security.
In this latest episode, the Royal Navy reported that HMS Mersey, a Portsmouth-based patrol vessel, along with a Wildcat helicopter from 815 Naval Air Squadron and a Merlin aircraft from 824 Naval Air Squadron—specialized in anti-submarine warfare—were deployed to monitor Russian units. The operation focused on tracking the Russian Navy’s Kilo II-class attack submarine Novorossiysk, which was accompanied by the Goryn-class support vessel Yakov Grebelski. According to official sources, the British units used onboard sensors and systems to monitor the submarine’s westward transit through UK waters.
This marked the sixth time in just three months that HMS Mersey has been deployed to track Russian naval movements in the region. Moreover, this activity forms part of a growing pattern of detections and monitoring, such as last week’s incident when Royal Navy vessels HMS Duncan and HMS Trent were activated to shadow the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich and the corvette Boikiy.
Similarly, in May of this year, the Royal Navy was also deployed to track another Kilo II-class attack submarine transiting on the surface through the English Channel, once again highlighting the ongoing scrutiny of Russian naval movements in this strategic area. Earlier in January 2025, Type 23 frigates participated in a monitoring operation as Russian warships, corvettes, and submarines passed through, reaffirming London’s commitment to controlling its maritime domain and ensuring regional security.
Lastly, it is important to note that this operation was also part of the UK’s contribution to NATO surveillance missions, reinforcing collective situational awareness in the North Atlantic and the English Channel—key areas for strategic naval transit. After completing its monitoring tasks, HMS Mersey handed over surveillance to NATO allied units once the Russian vessels exited UK jurisdictional waters, in a coordinated action that reflects the high level of interoperability achieved with Alliance partners.
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