The UK Royal Navy on Wednesday reported that it had closely monitored a Russian warship and a merchant vessel that had sailed through the English Channel this week. The operation was spearheaded by HMS Somerset, known for monitoring Russian naval activity.
According to the Royal Navy, HMS Somerset “kept a close eye” as the Russian warship Boikiy escorted the Baltic Leader through British waters. The routine procedure speaks to Britain’s commitment to ensuring national security, particularly when it comes to major infrastructure such as undersea cables and pipelines.
The appearance of the Russian warship in the Channel raised questions, particularly concerning the Baltic Leader, a sanctioned freighter with crew members in military fatigues reportedly on board. It reportedly transports military equipment.
The Baltic Leader, which is under American sanctions for supposedly supplying arms to the Russian army, was reportedly transporting Russian military equipment from the naval base of Tartus. The latter has been key to the ongoing withdrawal and re-deployment of military equipment as Russian operations in Syria are being reduced.
Joseph Byrne, a senior analyst at the Open Source Centre, said satellite images indicate the Baltic Leader was loading cargo at Tartus. “While it’s not entirely clear what type of cargo the ship is loading, Tartus is a port where Russia has been stockpiling its military gear, seemingly waiting to be shipped out.”.
Byrne also observed a trend, stating, “Since the middle of last February, there has been quite a few Russian-flagged freighter ships pass out of Syria into the Med and through the Channel.”
HMS Somerset also tracked the Russian suspected spy ship, Yantar, in January. Last month, Royal Navy ships also shadowed six Russian warships and merchant ships that transported ammunition bound for Syria across the Channel. The tracking of Boikiy began on Saturday as the warship headed south from the North Sea and English Channel to escort the Baltic Leader back to Russia.
