Russia Flexes Naval Muscle Near UK as Submarine Surfaces in Broad Daylight
Jul 03, 2025
IVAN KHOMENKO
https://united24media.com/latest-news/r ... light-9592
A Royal Navy Merlin helicopter tracks the surfaced Russian submarine Novorossiysk during its transit through the North Sea, July 2, 2025. (Source: Royal Navy)
On July 2, Royal Navy vessels and aircraft closely tracked a surfaced Russian Kilo-class submarine, the Novorossiysk, as it transited through the North Sea and the English Channel.
According to the British Navy, HMS Mersey—a River-class offshore patrol vessel based in Portsmouth—was deployed alongside Wildcat and Merlin Mk2 helicopters to monitor the Russian movement.
The Novorossiysk, accompanied https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news/2025/ ... nd-warship by the support tug Yakov Grebelski, remained surfaced throughout its transit, an unusual move interpreted as a deliberate signal of presence in waters critical to NATO's maritime infrastructure.
The Royal Navy reported maintaining continuous visual and electronic contact with the vessel, underscoring the UK’s ongoing maritime vigilance amid increased Russian naval activity near its shores.
Both helicopters played distinct roles in the operation: the Wildcat, from 815 Naval Air Squadron, provided surface reconnaissance with its advanced radar and optical systems, while the Merlin Mk2 from 824 Squadron, equipped for anti-submarine warfare, deployed sonar and magnetic detection equipment.
This latest transit comes https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news/2025/ ... hatgpt.com amid a broader uptick in Russian naval operations in and around UK waters. In recent weeks, the Admiral Grigorovich frigate and the Boikiy corvette—both equipped for long-range and anti-submarine missions—were also tracked near the UK coast.
These coordinated activities represent a layered projection of naval capability, with submarines and surface vessels operating in proximity to NATO territory.
According to the Royal Navy, the decision to surface the submarine in congested maritime corridors such as the English Channel and the North Sea likely served dual purposes: easing navigation and delivering a strategic message regarding Russia’s ability to operate near NATO critical infrastructure.
As reported, the UK’s maritime surveillance assets successfully followed the Russian submarine’s route, handing over monitoring responsibilities to NATO forces as the vessels left British waters. This process mirrors a similar operation last week involving HMS Mersey, HMS Duncan, and HMS Trent shadowing Russian warships near the British coast.
The North Sea remains a strategic region, home to vital undersea pipelines, energy routes, and commercial shipping lanes. British officials have repeatedly emphasized the importance of sustained monitoring to prevent potential disruptions or unintentional escalations.
The UK government has also reaffirmed its commitment to maritime security, with defense spending projected to rise to 2.6% of GDP by 2027. Plans are in place to further increase investment to 3% in the following parliamentary cycle, aimed at strengthening NATO's northern maritime defenses.
Earlier, the Russian Navy deployed https://united24media.com/latest-news/r ... annel-9340 the Boikiy, a Steregushchiy-class corvette, to escort two sanctioned oil tankers through the English Channel—marking the first documented instance of a Russian warship protecting shadow fleet vessels in this strategic waterway.