The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence released this undated photo showing HMS Severn, lower section, tracking the Russian corvette RFN Stoikiy off the UK coast. United Kingdom Ministry of Defence/AP

A UK patrol ship has intercepted a Russian corvette and a tanker after shadowing them through the English Channel, the Defense Ministry said Sunday, adding that Russian naval activity around UK waters had increased by 30% over the past two years.

With the past two weeks, the patrol ship HMS Severn intercepted the Russian corvette RFN Stoikiy and tanker Yelnya as they sailed through the English Channel, the ministry said. The Severn eventually handed over monitoring duties to an unidentified NATO ally off the coast of Brittany.

In addition to the ships stationed around the UK coast, Brit

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