Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The Russian frigate reportedly sailed from the West of the UK to the North Sea
British sailors spent last month watching the water, as a Russian warship sailed right through the Dover strait – and it was not alone.
The Guardian and The Independent reported the frigate, known as the Admiral Grigorovich, guided six different vessels through the busy shipping lane. At least three of those cargo ships currently face international economic sanctions, according to British news outlets.
According to The Independent, a spokesman for the Royal Navy confirmed that four British military ships and several helicopters tracked the convoy every single day.
The Russian fleet even resupplied near a wind farm off the Suffolk coast.
Shadow fleet profits
Moscow relies heavily on a massive collection of aging oil tankers. This shadow fleet sails under obscure flags to sell fuel around the world.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in late March that the government would start seizing these rule-breaking ships. He promised to cut off “Putin’s war machine of the dirty profits that fund his barbaric campaign in Ukraine”.
That tough talk seems to have triggered a very visible response. Armed escorts are highly unusual for basic commercial shipping operations.
Disproportionate power
Elisabeth Braw, an analyst with the Atlantic Council, pointed out how strange this tactic is. “This is completely disproportionate; navies normally only escort vessels when there is a clear military threat, such as from the Houthis in the Red Sea,” Braw told The Guardian.
By sending frigates, Moscow is protecting a vital source of national income. Braw added, “Clearly, if the Russians thought these vessels were not going to encounter problems, they would not allocate a frigate.”
The threat of military confrontation has made coastal nations hesitate. The UK has not actually seized a single shadow tanker since announcing the new powers.
Sources: The Guardian, Atlantic Council, UK Government, The Independent
