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British Royal Navy Frigate Intercepts Russian Vessel in the Baltic After Warship Strays Close to Nato-Protected Waters
- HMS Montrose was taking part in an exercise off the Danish coast
- The Type 23 frigate investigated an unidentified ship picked up on radar
- Russian warship RFS Soobrazitelny was carrying out routine manoeuvres
- Show of strength demonstrated Nato's resolve to protect its 28 members
- It's the latest in a series of encounters between British and Russian forces
HMS Montrose, a Type 23 frigate, was taking part in a multinational exercise off the Danish coast when she was dispatched to investigate an unidentified surface ship picked up on radar.
Despite choppy seas and 30 knot winds, the crew identified the unknown ship as the 104-metre-long Steregushchiy-class frigate RFS Soobrazitelny skirting Danish waters as it sailed west in the Baltic Sea.
Dispatched: HMS Montrose, a Type 23 frigate, was taking part in a multinational exercise off the Danish coast when she was sent to investigate an unidentified surface ship picked up on radar
Identified: The 104metre-long Steregushchiy-class frigate RFS Soobrazitelny, a Russian warship, appeared to be carrying out routine manoeuvres in international waters
As HMS Montrose closed with the Russian vessel, a Russian Ilyushin IL-20 ‘Coot’ maritime patrol aircraft was detected and appeared overhead, circling the two ships.
It was one of the Royal Navy’s most significant encounters with Russian warships in the region since the Ukraine crisis began.
Navy chiefs said the show of strength demonstrated Nato’s resolve to protect its 28 members against any threat from the Kremlin.
Both the Russian vessel and aircraft appeared to be carrying out routine manoeuvres in international waters.
Commander James Parkin, commanding officer of HMS Montrose, said: ‘All our interaction so far has been professional, and effective, and we have gained huge benefit from working so closely with our allies in such a busy and challenging environment.’
Lieutenant Chloe Lea, HMS Montrose’s watch officer, said: ‘We picked up a vessel on our radar that was not showing any of the normal behaviour expected of merchant vessels or allied warships.
International waters: The encounter took place in the Baltic Sea. The incident was the latest in a series of encounters between British and Russian forces
Monitoring: As HMS Montrose closed with the Russian vessel, a Russian Ilyushin IL-20 'Coot' maritime patrol aircraft (pictured), was detected and appeared overhead, circling the two ships
'We have seen the Russians operate a lot in this area but this is the closest we have seen them.’
Plymouth-based HMS Montrose, which has 205 crew and is armed with Sting Ray torpedoes, Sea Wolf missiles and Harpoon missiles, is taking part in the US-led exercise involving warships, submarines and helicopters from 14 different nations.
Last week’s incident was the latest in a series of encounters between British and Russian forces.
Quote:
WARSHIPS: BRITISH HMS MONTROSE
Base: Plymouth
Crew members on board: 205
Weapons and missiles: Armed with Sting Ray torpedoes, Sea Wolf missiles and Harpoon missiles
Length: 133 metres
Top speed: 28 knots
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Quote:
RUSSIAN RFS SOOBRAZITELNY
Base: St Petersburg
Crew members on board: 98
Weapons and missiles: A combination of missile systems including Kh-35 missiles, 3M-54 Klub missiles and anti-torpedo missiles
Length: 104 metres
Top speed: 27 knots
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Earlier this month two RAF fighters shadowed seven menacing Russian warplanes that flew too close to Baltic airspace.
The fully-armed Typhoons from 3 (Fighter) Squadron were scrambled after unidentified aircraft were detected by Nato air defences in international airspace. All were subsequently identified as Russian.
Four Typhoons were deployed to the region in April under orders to respond forcefully to any violation of the airspace of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania which do not have their own air defence fighters and rely upon Nato.