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A Russian aircraft carrier and and a nuclear-powered battle cruiser have passed through the English Channel - escorted by a British warship.The seven-strong naval task group led by the Admiral Kuznetsov, Russia's largest warship, entered the Channel last night, a Royal Navy spokesman said.Although the ships did not enter UK territorial waters, their movements were tracked by the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon - the duty fleet-ready escort vessel - which was dispatched from Portsmouth.
The military manoeuvre came on the same day as president Vladimir Putin oversaw nuclear test launches in Russia.Three inter-continental ballistic missiles were launched at test sites in the remote east of Russia, in what the military said was a test run for massive nuclear retaliation should Russia or its allies be attacked.
The ships, which are currently being escorted by the Navy, are believed to have been returning to the Baltic after manoeuvres in the Mediterranean. They are headed for a naval base in Severomorsk in the north-west of Russia.It is not unusual for Russian warships to pass through the Channel - the same group went through in the opposite direction in December.At no point have the ships entered the UK's territorial waters - which extend 12 nautical miles from the coast of the country. However, according to a UN treaty on sea passage, there is no reason military vessels should not be allowed through so long as they do not threaten the peace or security of a country.
The Voice of Russia website - which often carries details of Russian naval movements - reported last month that they were due to return.However the latest passage took place against the backdrop of heightened tensions between the West and Russia over Ukraine.A Royal Navy spokesman said: 'We can confirm that HMS Dragon was activated as the fleet-ready escort vessel. She met the task group centred around the Admiral Kuznetsov.'Mark Francois, Minister for the Armed Forces, said: 'This routine action by HMS Dragon, in her capacity as the Fleet Ready Escort, once again underlines the professionalism and credibility of the Royal Navy in keeping the whole of the UK secure at and from the sea.'
Captain Rex Cox, commanding officer of HMS Dragon said: 'Following our recent activation HMS Dragon has once more monitored a Russian task group through the UK's areas of interest. This is very much routine business both for HMS Dragon and for the Royal Navy.
'What is different here is that a Russian task group of this size has not passed by our shores in some time. Cutting edge, extremely capable and very versatile, a Type 45 Destroyer, such as HMS Dragon, is the ideal ship for the job.'Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said the deployment of HMS Dragon was part of a pre-planned operation.'The decision was taken about 10 days ago when we first knew of the Kuznetsov's planned route. These movements are pre-planned. We are notified of them in advance,' he said at a Westminster lunch for political journalists.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2623480/The-Cold-War-really-IS-Russian-aircraft-carrier-group-Soviet-era-ships-escorted-English-Channel-state-art-Royal-Navy-destroyer.html
A Russian aircraft carrier and and a nuclear-powered battle cruiser have passed through the English Channel - escorted by a British warship.The seven-strong naval task group led by the Admiral Kuznetsov, Russia's largest warship, entered the Channel last night, a Royal Navy spokesman said.Although the ships did not enter UK territorial waters, their movements were tracked by the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon - the duty fleet-ready escort vessel - which was dispatched from Portsmouth.
The military manoeuvre came on the same day as president Vladimir Putin oversaw nuclear test launches in Russia.Three inter-continental ballistic missiles were launched at test sites in the remote east of Russia, in what the military said was a test run for massive nuclear retaliation should Russia or its allies be attacked.
The ships, which are currently being escorted by the Navy, are believed to have been returning to the Baltic after manoeuvres in the Mediterranean. They are headed for a naval base in Severomorsk in the north-west of Russia.It is not unusual for Russian warships to pass through the Channel - the same group went through in the opposite direction in December.At no point have the ships entered the UK's territorial waters - which extend 12 nautical miles from the coast of the country. However, according to a UN treaty on sea passage, there is no reason military vessels should not be allowed through so long as they do not threaten the peace or security of a country.
The Voice of Russia website - which often carries details of Russian naval movements - reported last month that they were due to return.However the latest passage took place against the backdrop of heightened tensions between the West and Russia over Ukraine.A Royal Navy spokesman said: 'We can confirm that HMS Dragon was activated as the fleet-ready escort vessel. She met the task group centred around the Admiral Kuznetsov.'Mark Francois, Minister for the Armed Forces, said: 'This routine action by HMS Dragon, in her capacity as the Fleet Ready Escort, once again underlines the professionalism and credibility of the Royal Navy in keeping the whole of the UK secure at and from the sea.'
Captain Rex Cox, commanding officer of HMS Dragon said: 'Following our recent activation HMS Dragon has once more monitored a Russian task group through the UK's areas of interest. This is very much routine business both for HMS Dragon and for the Royal Navy.
'What is different here is that a Russian task group of this size has not passed by our shores in some time. Cutting edge, extremely capable and very versatile, a Type 45 Destroyer, such as HMS Dragon, is the ideal ship for the job.'Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said the deployment of HMS Dragon was part of a pre-planned operation.'The decision was taken about 10 days ago when we first knew of the Kuznetsov's planned route. These movements are pre-planned. We are notified of them in advance,' he said at a Westminster lunch for political journalists.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2623480/The-Cold-War-really-IS-Russian-aircraft-carrier-group-Soviet-era-ships-escorted-English-Channel-state-art-Royal-Navy-destroyer.html
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