On 23 November 2025, the Royal Navy’s HMS Severn intercepted two Russian vessels, the corvette Stoikiy and the tanker Yelnya, as they sailed west through the Dover Strait into the English Channel. This was part of a growing pattern of Russian naval activity threatening UK waters, which Defence Secretary John Healey described as ‘deeply dangerous.’ After the interception, HMS Severn handed over monitoring responsibilities to a NATO ally off the coast of Brittany, France. The UK has updated its Royal Navy rules of engagement to better track and respond to such incursions, signaling heightened vigilance and readiness in response to the 30% increase in Russian vessels operating near Britain over the past two years. This incident underscores broader regional tensions and increased Russian maritime assertiveness in Northwestern European waters.
Category: Maritime
Country: United Kingdom
Source report: www.bbc.com/news/arti…
