Russian Warships Monitored By Royal Navy In English Channel

HMS Diamond monitored the ships along the south coast (Picture: Royal Navy).

The Royal Navy's HMS Diamond have been monitoring two Russian warships in the English Channel overnight. 

The Portsmouth-based Type 45 destroyer sailed from Dover and shadowed the Russian destroyer Severomorsk and cruiser Marshal Ustinov as they passed through the UK waters.

The Udaloy-class destroyer Severomorsk and Slava-class cruiser Marshal Ustinov have just finished taking part in the Russian Navy Days event in St Petersburg and are now deploying out of the area.

HMS Diamond has been watching UK waters, monitoring the Russian warships as they approached UK coastline.

Once the warships entered the shipping lanes between Norfolk and continental Europe, HMS Diamond moved alongside them where they were escorted towards the Dover strait.

The Royal Navy say HMS Diamond continues to monitor the ships.

The warships are expected to continue heading south, out of the UK's area of interest.

HMS Diamond is one of the Royal Navy's high readiness escort ships and at 24 hours notice, the ship is ready to deploy to anywhere in or around British waters.

Commander Ben Keith, the Commanding Officer of HMS Diamond, said: “HMS Diamond is proud to once again be playing her part in protecting the UK by monitoring these vessels on their transit.

“This is routine business for the Royal Navy and the second time my ship’s company have undertaken such an escort duty this summer."

In June, HMS Montrose shadowed two Russian warships in the North Sea as they approached the English Channel.