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2h ago

Russian Frigate Fires Live Rounds 40 Miles Off Plymouth as Royal Navy Tracks Vessel

The Ministry of Defence says the exercise was legal but its timing and proximity to busy shipping lanes raise safety and political concerns.

Image
Caption: Pictured: HMS Iron Duke (foreground), seen here shadowing Russian frigate Neustrashimy a through the English Channel today (21/09/2025). The tasking contributed to joint NATO efforts in the North Atlantic monitoring all Russian activity. Royal Navy plays key role in securing the UK?s waters and areas of interest essential to supporting the economy and growth through the government?s Plan for Change. A Royal Navy warship and helicopter kept constant watch on two Russian vessels in UK waters during a three-day operation alongside NATO allies. Copyright: UK MOD ? Crown copyright 2025
British media identified the vessel on Tuesday as the Russian Navy frigate "Neustrashimy," shown here in a file photo taken in Simonstown, South Africa.
Britain's Defence Secretary Wes Streeting walks following the first cabinet meeting with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham at 10 Downing Street, in London, Britain, July 21, 2026. REUTERS/Chris J Ratcliffe

Overview

  • The Russian frigate Neustrashimy carried out a 30-minute live‑fire gunnery exercise about 40 nautical miles south of Plymouth on Monday while being shadowed by the Royal Navy, the Ministry of Defence confirmed.
  • Before firing the ship radioed HMS Tyne to say it would conduct gunnery drills and asked the patrol vessel to withdraw to a safer distance, a request the British ship complied with.
  • A French military aircraft also monitored the exercise and made radio contact to clarify the frigate’s intentions, and the MoD says Royal Navy units continue to track the vessel closely and stand ready to protect UK security.
  • Flight‑tracking and media reports recorded several UK and French aircraft in the area after the firing but the MoD disputed claims that Typhoon jets were specifically deployed to monitor the Neustrashimy.
  • The episode fits a months‑long pattern of Russian warships escorting a so‑called 'shadow fleet' of tankers through the Channel and North Sea, a sustained campaign that has prompted boarding operations, allied surveillance and political debate over maritime safety and defence readiness.