Royal Navy warship deployed on Christmas mission to shadow Russian naval group

The Royal Navy kept a constant watch on a Russian naval group throughout the Christmas holidays as it sailed past the British Isles.

Nearly 200 crew of frigate HMS Somerset were recalled to their ship in Devonport Naval Base on Christmas Day and sailed on Friday December 27, making best speed to shadow the corvette RFS Soobrazitelny and her two support vessels, MV Sparta II and MV General Skobelev.

From the North Sea, the Russian ships were constantly monitored as they passed through the Dover Strait and into the English Channel. The Russian ships remained in international waters throughout the transit.

The Prime Minister has stressed that keeping the country safe is the Government’s first priority, and an integral part of its Plan for Change. The work of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force, is critical to the security and stability of the UK, supporting all of the Government’s five missions in its plan.

HMS Somerset’s Commanding Officer, Commander Joel Roberts, said:

“As the UK is an island nation, at all times of the year the Royal Navy maintains units at very high readiness to conduct operations in support of the UK’s national objectives.

“Maintaining maritime security, demonstrating an assertive presence, ensuring compliance with maritime law, and deterring malign activity in our territorial and adjacent waters are essential components of our maritime strategy and crucial to our national interests.”

With conditions in the Channel and North Sea foggy, aside from visually monitoring the Russian ships’ progress, HMS Somerset used her extensive suite of hi-tech sensors to follow the trio for more than 500 miles.

When the weather has cleared, the ship’s Merlin helicopter – provided by 814 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall – became airborne to support the monitoring mission and also capture imagery of both the Russian vessels and HMS Somerset’s shadowing operation.

Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard, said:

“I would like to thank the crew of HMS Somerset for their dedication after readying themselves for action at short notice during the Christmas period, and promptly setting sail from Devonport to keep the UK safe.

“All the sailors involved are testament to the professionalism of the UK Armed Forces, with thousands more sailors, soldiers, and aviators keeping us secure at home and strong abroad, throughout the year.”