A Russian warship carried out a live-fire artillery exercise approximately 40 nautical miles south of Plymouth on Monday while being closely monitored by the Royal Navy, according to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD).
The Russian frigate Neustrashimy conducted the exercise in international waters under the watch of the Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Tyne, which had been tracking the ship’s movements.
Before opening fire, the Russian vessel reportedly informed HMS Tyne of its intention to begin live gunnery drills and requested that the British warship move to a safer distance. HMS Tyne complied, and the exercise proceeded without incident.
The live-fire drill lasted for around 30 minutes.
A spokesperson for the UK Ministry of Defence said the Royal Navy had monitored the exercise throughout and continues to closely track the vessel’s activities.
The Russian frigate was also observed by a French military aircraft, which reportedly established radio contact with the vessel to seek clarification about its intentions.
The incident highlights increased Russian naval activity near UK waters in recent months and comes as Britain continues to monitor military movements in the English Channel and surrounding seas.
Last month, Royal Marines carried out a rare six-hour operation to board a Russian-linked “shadow fleet” oil tanker in the English Channel, marking the first mission of its kind by UK armed forces.
In another incident in June, a British couple sailing in international waters near the Isle of Wight encountered the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich. The warship fired warning shots after claiming the yacht was making a dangerous approach, although the couple said they had not been on a collision course.
Russian naval vessels regularly transit through international waters in the English Channel, which remain separate from British and French territorial waters. British defence officials continue to monitor such movements as part of routine maritime security operations.