Russian warship conducts gunnery drills off British coast
A Russian warship monitored by a Royal Navy vessel conducted live gunnery drills on Monday about 40 nautical miles (approximately 74 km) south of Plymouth.
Source: the BBC, as reported by European Pravda
Details: The Royal Navy monitored the exercise and is continuing to "track the vessel's activity closely", a UK Ministry of Defence spokesperson said.
The vessel involved was the Russian frigate Neustrashimy, which was also being observed by a French military aircraft. According to the BBC, the aircraft's crew established radio contact with the frigate and asked the Russian side to clarify its intentions.
Before opening fire, the Russian warship informed the British patrol vessel HMS Tyne of its intention to conduct gunnery exercises. The Russian crew requested that the British ship move to a safer distance, after which HMS Tyne changed position.
The drills lasted about 30 minutes and took place in international waters.
The incident comes amid increased Russian naval activity near British waters in recent months. The UK Ministry of Defence declined to comment on whether the exercise may have been timed to coincide with the start of Prime Minister Andy Burnham's term in office.
The incident nevertheless served as another reminder to London of the need to closely monitor the activities of Russian warships operating near the British coast.
Background:
- In June, the UK Ministry of Defence investigated reports that a Russian frigate had fired warning shots near a yacht in the English Channel that had approached the vessel.
- The incident came to light after the UK intercepted a tanker belonging to Russia's shadow fleet for the first time.
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