Latest news with #HMSLedbury
Metro
3 days ago
- Business
- Metro
Royal Navy scrambled to monitor Russian ship loitering in UK waters
A Russian intelligence gathering ship was caught loitering in waters off Scotland for the second time this month, sparking a major Royal Navy response. Warships and helicopters scrambled to monitor the Yuri Ivanov in the Outer Hebrides shortly after a major NATO exercise, Formidable Shield, wrapped up nearby. HMS Dragon, a Portsmouth-based Type 45 destroyer, watched on and launched Merlin helicopters to collect information from above, until the Yuri Ivanov headed north towards its home in the Arctic. Meanwhile, HMS Ledbury, HMS Hurworth and 814 Naval Air Squadron were activated to shadow RFN Stoikiy as the Russian warship sailed west through the Channel to meet two merchant vessels, Sparta IV and General Skobelev, which were returning from the Mediterranean. It comes shortly after Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a historic commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP to protect working people and deliver on promised plans. Lieutenant Commander Craig Clark, Commanding Officer of HMS Ledbury, said: 'Escorting Russian vessels through UK waters is a vital demonstration of our unwavering commitment to national security. 'Whilst the Hunt-class is uniquely equipped for mine and sea-bed warfare, maritime security remains a crucial task that any Royal Navy warship is trained to undertake.' Russian ships have veered a bit too close for comfort to UK borders as of late, and a second, more sinister fleet sparked warnings about a potential environmental disaster. Russia's 'shadow fleet' of oil tankers is designed to avoid sanctions and poses a serious threat to the UK and other international waters. Members of parliament previously wrote a letter to Foreign Secretary David Lammy warning of the potentially catastrophic dangers from the 'ticking time-bomb' vessels. Labour's Uma Kumaran and Tim Roca have called for 'shadow-free' zones to be established in British waters to protect coastal communities and marine ecosystems. Mr Lammy issued a major sanctions package of the Russian shadow fleet late last year, but worried voices are still being raised in Westminster. These 'shadow' ships are often ageing vessels which have convoluted ownership, often in a bid to evade Western sanctions after Russia invaded Ukraine. More Trending Mr Roca said: 'With approximately 10 such tankers passing through the English Channel every day, the risk to our waters and coastal communities from these dangerous ships is immense. The UK should lead the way in enforcing maritime safety and environmental protection.' An investigation by the Kyiv School of Economics Institute (KSE) found Russia built its shadow fleet and found it bought older vessels for a cheaper price, largely ignoring maritime safety laws. 'The weak link in the regulatory framework, together with the dramatically expanded role of shadow tankers in the Russian oil trade means that a major environmental disaster is only a question of time.' Several close calls with these ageing ships have been reported in recent years, including one collision in Denmark last March. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Map shows average savings in different UK regions — how does yours compare? MORE: UK to train hackers to get revenge on Putin's cyber attacks MORE: Leader who killed 6,000,000 of his own honoured in new statue
The Independent
3 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Russian vessels in UK waters tracked by Royal Navy for second time this month
Russian vessels in the English Channel and Outer Hebrides have been monitored by the Royal Navy for the second time in May. A five-day operation which began on May 18 tracked Russian vessels and escorted them through UK waters, the Royal Navy said. It followed the activation of HMS Tyne three weeks ago. Warships and helicopters were activated in a bid to 'ensure the security and integrity of the UK's critical sea-lanes', Lieutenant Commander James Bradshaw said. Russian intelligence-gathering ship Yuri Ivanov was monitored in waters off the Outer Hebrides following the completion of major Nato exercise Formidable Shield nearby, on May 21-23, the Navy said. HMS Dragon, a destroyer based in Portsmouth, launched a Merlin helicopter to collect aerial information until the Yuri Ivanov headed north towards its base in the Arctic. Three Russian vessels, two cargo boats and a warship, RFN Stoikiy, were shadowed by HMS Ledbury, HMS Hurworth and 814 Naval Air Squadron, the Royal Navy added. Stoikiy, a Steregushchiy-class corvette, sailed west through the Channel to meet two merchant vessels, Sparta IV and General Skobelev, which were returning from the Mediterranean. HMS Ledbury met Stoikiy late on May 18, monitoring the warship through the Dover Strait during its westbound journey – before HMS Hurworth took over the next day off Brighton, and kept watch as Stoikiy met the two merchant vessels south-west of Land's End. The minehunter then tracked the group eastbound through the Channel and into the North Sea until the operation ended on the afternoon of May 22. During the eastbound trip, a Merlin Mk2 helicopter from 814 Naval Air Squadron based at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose monitored the Russian group, with aircraft and warships from Nato allies also involved. The warship subsequently escorted the two cargo ships eastbound, watched by HMS Hurworth, also based in Portsmouth. L/Cdr Bradshaw, commanding officer of minehunter HMS Hurworth, said: 'Monitoring activity on the seas and seabed around the UK is one of the core roles of the Royal Navy's 2nd Mine-Countermeasures Squadron. 'This operation was all in a day's work for the ship's company, who have shown great professionalism. 'We have kept a constant watch to ensure the security and integrity of the UK's critical sea lanes.' Lieutenant Commander Craig Clark, commanding officer of HMS Ledbury, said: 'Escorting Russian vessels through UK waters is a vital demonstration of our unwavering commitment to national security.' Able seaman mine warfare Wayne Slater, from HMS Hurworth, said: 'Driving the ship close to the Russian vessels has been a new experience for me as a helmsman. 'Everything has been safe and professional but we're all trained to make sure we can respond to any aggression or incident whenever non-allied warships are operating near UK waters.' Lieutenant Patrick Bingham, gunnery officer from HMS Hurworth, added: 'As a former merchant navy officer, I know how important freedom of the seas is to the lifeline of goods and raw materials upon which our economy depends. 'The Royal Navy has been a guardian of the freedom of the seas for centuries and I am privileged to have contributed to this mission.'
Press and Journal
3 days ago
- Press and Journal
Russian spy ship intercepted off Outer Hebrides
The Royal Navy has been watching a Russian spy ship spotted in the Outer Hebrides. HMS Dragon – a Type 45 air-defence destroyer – monitored the Russian intelligence gathering vessel as it sailed in UK waters. A Merlin helicopter was launched to help keep the Yuri Ivanov under surveillance while it was off the coast of Scotland. Though the Royal Navy revealed details of the stand-off, it did not confirm the exact location. The Russian vessel eventually headed north towards the Arctic. The two vessels found themselves sharing the same waters shortly after the completion of a major NATO exercise – Formidable Shield – which took place nearby. Elsewhere, HMS Ledbury, HMS Hurworth and 814 Naval Air Squadron were activated to shadow the another Russian vessel, the RFN Stoikiy. The warship sailed west through the English Channel to meet two merchant vessels, Sparta IV and General Skobelev, which were returning from the Mediterranean. The Steregushchiy-class Russian corvette subsequently escorted the two cargo ships back to the Baltic Sea. HMS Ledbury met Stoikiy late on May 18, monitoring the warship through the Dover Strait during its westbound journey before HMS Hurworth took over on May 19, off Brighton. Hurworth kept watch as the Stoikiy met the two merchant vessels south-west of Land's End. The minehunter then tracked the group eastbound through the Channel and into the North Sea until the operation ended on the afternoon of May 22. The Merlin Mk2 from 814 Naval Air Squadron, based at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, monitored the Russian group. Aircraft and warships from NATO allies were also involved. Commanding officer of HMS Ledbury, Craig Clark, said: 'Escorting Russian vessels through UK waters is a vital demonstration of our unwavering commitment to national security.'
Leader Live
3 days ago
- General
- Leader Live
Russian vessels in UK waters tracked by Royal Navy for second time this month
A five-day operation which began on May 18 tracked Russian vessels and escorted them through UK waters, the Royal Navy said. It followed the activation of HMS Tyne three weeks ago. Warships and helicopters were activated in a bid to 'ensure the security and integrity of the UK's critical sea-lanes', Lieutenant Commander James Bradshaw said. Russian intelligence-gathering ship Yuri Ivanov was monitored in waters off the Outer Hebrides following the completion of major Nato exercise Formidable Shield nearby, on May 21-23, the Navy said. HMS Dragon, a destroyer based in Portsmouth, launched a Merlin helicopter to collect aerial information until the Yuri Ivanov headed north towards its base in the Arctic. Three Russian vessels, two cargo boats and a warship, RFN Stoikiy, were shadowed by HMS Ledbury, HMS Hurworth and 814 Naval Air Squadron, the Royal Navy added. Stoikiy, a Steregushchiy-class corvette, sailed west through the Channel to meet two merchant vessels, Sparta IV and General Skobelev, which were returning from the Mediterranean. HMS Ledbury met Stoikiy late on May 18, monitoring the warship through the Dover Strait during its westbound journey – before HMS Hurworth took over the next day off Brighton, and kept watch as Stoikiy met the two merchant vessels south-west of Land's End. The minehunter then tracked the group eastbound through the Channel and into the North Sea until the operation ended on the afternoon of May 22. During the eastbound trip, a Merlin Mk2 helicopter from 814 Naval Air Squadron based at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose monitored the Russian group, with aircraft and warships from Nato allies also involved. The warship subsequently escorted the two cargo ships eastbound, watched by HMS Hurworth, also based in Portsmouth. L/Cdr Bradshaw, commanding officer of minehunter HMS Hurworth, said: 'Monitoring activity on the seas and seabed around the UK is one of the core roles of the Royal Navy's 2nd Mine-Countermeasures Squadron. 'This operation was all in a day's work for the ship's company, who have shown great professionalism. 'We have kept a constant watch to ensure the security and integrity of the UK's critical sea lanes.' Lieutenant Commander Craig Clark, commanding officer of HMS Ledbury, said: 'Escorting Russian vessels through UK waters is a vital demonstration of our unwavering commitment to national security.' Able seaman mine warfare Wayne Slater, from HMS Hurworth, said: 'Driving the ship close to the Russian vessels has been a new experience for me as a helmsman. 'Everything has been safe and professional but we're all trained to make sure we can respond to any aggression or incident whenever non-allied warships are operating near UK waters.' Lieutenant Patrick Bingham, gunnery officer from HMS Hurworth, added: 'As a former merchant navy officer, I know how important freedom of the seas is to the lifeline of goods and raw materials upon which our economy depends. 'The Royal Navy has been a guardian of the freedom of the seas for centuries and I am privileged to have contributed to this mission.'
North Wales Chronicle
3 days ago
- General
- North Wales Chronicle
Russian vessels in UK waters tracked by Royal Navy for second time this month
A five-day operation which began on May 18 tracked Russian vessels and escorted them through UK waters, the Royal Navy said. It followed the activation of HMS Tyne three weeks ago. Warships and helicopters were activated in a bid to 'ensure the security and integrity of the UK's critical sea-lanes', Lieutenant Commander James Bradshaw said. Russian intelligence-gathering ship Yuri Ivanov was monitored in waters off the Outer Hebrides following the completion of major Nato exercise Formidable Shield nearby, on May 21-23, the Navy said. HMS Dragon, a destroyer based in Portsmouth, launched a Merlin helicopter to collect aerial information until the Yuri Ivanov headed north towards its base in the Arctic. Three Russian vessels, two cargo boats and a warship, RFN Stoikiy, were shadowed by HMS Ledbury, HMS Hurworth and 814 Naval Air Squadron, the Royal Navy added. Stoikiy, a Steregushchiy-class corvette, sailed west through the Channel to meet two merchant vessels, Sparta IV and General Skobelev, which were returning from the Mediterranean. HMS Ledbury met Stoikiy late on May 18, monitoring the warship through the Dover Strait during its westbound journey – before HMS Hurworth took over the next day off Brighton, and kept watch as Stoikiy met the two merchant vessels south-west of Land's End. The minehunter then tracked the group eastbound through the Channel and into the North Sea until the operation ended on the afternoon of May 22. During the eastbound trip, a Merlin Mk2 helicopter from 814 Naval Air Squadron based at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose monitored the Russian group, with aircraft and warships from Nato allies also involved. The warship subsequently escorted the two cargo ships eastbound, watched by HMS Hurworth, also based in Portsmouth. L/Cdr Bradshaw, commanding officer of minehunter HMS Hurworth, said: 'Monitoring activity on the seas and seabed around the UK is one of the core roles of the Royal Navy's 2nd Mine-Countermeasures Squadron. 'This operation was all in a day's work for the ship's company, who have shown great professionalism. 'We have kept a constant watch to ensure the security and integrity of the UK's critical sea lanes.' Lieutenant Commander Craig Clark, commanding officer of HMS Ledbury, said: 'Escorting Russian vessels through UK waters is a vital demonstration of our unwavering commitment to national security.' Able seaman mine warfare Wayne Slater, from HMS Hurworth, said: 'Driving the ship close to the Russian vessels has been a new experience for me as a helmsman. 'Everything has been safe and professional but we're all trained to make sure we can respond to any aggression or incident whenever non-allied warships are operating near UK waters.' Lieutenant Patrick Bingham, gunnery officer from HMS Hurworth, added: 'As a former merchant navy officer, I know how important freedom of the seas is to the lifeline of goods and raw materials upon which our economy depends. 'The Royal Navy has been a guardian of the freedom of the seas for centuries and I am privileged to have contributed to this mission.'
