Royal Navy intercepts two Russian warships in English Channel amid spike in activity near British waters

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said HMS Severn intercepted a corvette and a tanker, named RFN Stoikiy and Yelnya respectively, as they sailed west through the Dover Strait in the past fortnight.

It comes after the Russian spy ship Yantar was spotted off the coast of Scotland last week and shone its lasers at RAF pilots who flew overhead to surveil it.

Defence Secretary John Healey called the move "deeply dangerous", adding that there had been a 30 per cent increase in Russian vessels threatening UK waters in the past two years.

He then warned president Vladimir Putin: "We see you. We know what you're doing. We are ready."

After heading off the Stoikiy and the Yelnya, the HMS Severn later handed over monitoring duties to a Nato ally off the coast of Brittany, north west France, the MoD said.

Read Full Article Here