HMS Tyne shadowed Kilo-class submarine Krasnodar as it made a surfaced journey back to Russia from the eastern Med, the Royal Navy says, amid ongoing tensions with Vladimir Putin’s nation
A Royal Navy warship has tracked a Russian sub in the Channel amid ongoing tensions with Moscow. As part of a NATO mission, HMS Tyne shadowed Kilo-class submarine Krasnodar as it made a surfaced journey back to Russia from the eastern Med.
The Portsmouth-based patrol vessel intercepted Krasnodar when it entered the English Channel near the French coast. HMS Tyne reported “on every move as it made its eastward journey before handing over duties to allies as the submarine left UK waters”, the Royal Navy said. Earlier in its journey, the Krasnodar was tracked by a Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter of 815 Naval Air Squadron deployed with the UK Carrier Strike Group (CSG) in the Atlantic. The exact timing of events is not clear.
Defence minister Luke Pollard said: “Our sailors acted swiftly and decisively to a potential Russian threat, and I pay tribute to their dedication, courage and professionalism.” HMS Tyne’s Operations Officer, Lieutenant Bailey Denyer, added: “Activations like the one we’ve seen on this patrol to track Krasnodar are our bread and butter – defending UK sovereignty and that of our NATO allies is at the very heart of what the Royal Navy does.”
Once responsibility for the Moscow sub had been handed over, the Royal Navy said “HMS Tyne was quickly back on new tasking to shadow Russian Steregushchiy-class corvette Boikiy as it headed westward from the Baltic Sea, through the busy Dover Strait”. Later, Tyne and 815 Naval Air Squadron were said to have monitored the corvette’s return journey to the Baltic alongside three merchant ships.
Led by flagship HMS Prince of Wales, the UK’s CSG is operating alongside allies and partners in the Med before continuing to the Indo Pacific. Late last month, it emerged Royal Navy warships had tracked and monitored Russian ships in British waters.
It comes as Vladimir Putin today marked the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany – with China ’s leader Xi Jinping by his side. The Russian dictator attended a massive military parade on Red Square, commemorating his country’s Victory Day. In a show of support after being isolated over Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Putin stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Xi Jinping. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also attended the parade, part of efforts by Moscow to project its influence on the world stage.
The Second World War is a rare event in Russia’s divisive history under Communist rule revered by all political groups. The Kremlin has used that sentiment to encourage national pride and underline Russia’s position as a world power. A staggering 27 million people were lost by the Soviet Union in what it calls the Great Patriotic War from 1941-45. The enormous sacrifice has left a deep scar in the national psyche.
But this year festivities were overshadowed by Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Moscow and severe disruptions at the capital’s airports. Russian flag carrier Aeroflot cancelled more than 100 flights to and from Moscow on Wednesday, and delayed around 140 others as the military repelled repeated Ukrainian drone attacks on the capital.
Russian authorities tightened security ahead of the parade and mobile phone internet outages were reported amid electronic countermeasures aimed at foiling more potential drone attacks. Putin declared a unilateral 72-hour ceasefire starting on Wednesday to coincide with the Victory Day celebrations. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, after annexing Crimea in 2014.