Royal Navy ups Russian ship monitoring

Data released by the Maritime Command showed that British surface‑ship sensors logged 112 Russian vessel sightings in July, up from 90 the previous month.

The increase prompted the deployment of additional frigates and maritime patrol aircraft to the Dover Strait, a key NATO chokepoint.

Analysts link the surge to Russia’s recent naval exercises in the Baltic and its attempts to test NATO’s response times.

The Ministry of Defence warned that continued provocations could lead to more frequent intercepts.