UK crews have shadowed a Russian warship and a freighter through UK seas, the Royal Navy has said, amid a warning that Moscow is sending a rising number of vessels through British waters. Teams aboard HMS Iron Duke and a Wildcat helicopter tracked the warship RFN Neustrashimy as it escorted cargo ship Sparta IV through the North Sea and the English Channel.

“Russian warships are increasingly transiting through the English Channel,” defence minister Luke Pollard said. The Royal Navy protects the UK 24/7 to monitor Russian movements, ensuring the security of our waters and undersea cables.

“Alongside our commitment to Nato’s Eastern Sentry, this is a clear demonstration of how the UK stands firm with our Nato allies to deter Russian aggression.” The Wildcat, from Yeovilton’s 815 Naval Ai

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