Russian frigate armed with 'carrier-killing' Zircon missiles crosses English Channel

A Russian navy frigate armed with hypersonic anti-ship missiles has sailed through the English Channel en route to the Atlantic Ocean for a series of drills.

The Admiral Golovko, which is part of the Northern Fleet, carries Russia's new Zircon missiles, which are known as "aircraft carrier killers" due to their high speed and power.

The crew of the frigate conducted counter-terrorism drills, repelling air and sea drone attacks of a mock enemy, Russian state agencies reported.

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No drills or weapons launches were observed during the vessel's transit of the Channel.

An MOD spokesperson said: "The Russian frigate Admiral Golovko was shadowed by a number of maritime and air assets, including HMS Iron Duke, as it transited the English Channel.

"The Royal Navy monitors UK territorial waters to protect the UK, including to ensure compliance with maritime law and deter malign activity.

"The passage was in line with international law and norms."

The Russian ministry of defence said the exercises were carried out in the waters of the Barents, Norwegian and North Seas.

The frigate departed from Severomorsk, the Northern Fleet's main base, for her long-distance mission.

Severomorsk, located on the Kola Peninsula and facing the Barents Sea, sits just a few hundred kilometres from the Finnish border north of the Arctic Circle.

The base, northeast of Murmansk, serves as a primary stronghold for Russia’s Arctic naval operations.

On Sunday, the Russian MOD said the Admiral Golovko had crossed the narrowest part of the Channel - Pas de Calais - where the distance between Dover and Calais is a mere 26.34 miles (42.40 km).

Named after Admiral Arseny Golovko, a decorated Soviet Northern Fleet commander, the frigate joined the Russian Navy in 2023 - the same year Zircon missiles were officially introduced into service.

Russian President Vladimir Putin previously said Zircon missies can fly at nine times the speed of sound and have a range of 1,000km.

Defence think tank Rusi points out that hypersonic cruise missiles like the Zircon could prove to be a challenge to Western vessels and ground targets.

It noted how at sea a destroyer's radar and electronic support measures sensors would detect a missile at distances of 12–14 nautical miles, giving it just 15 seconds in which to react.