The Russian frigate Neustrashimy performed a live-fire drill off the UK coast, monitored by the Royal Navy and French forces, amid political changes in London.
The Russian frigate Neustrashimy staged a live-fire gunnery exercise off Britain's southern coast while being shadowed by the Royal Navy and monitored by French forces, reports Fort Lauderdale's Maritime Executive.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed that the frigate was about 40 nautical miles from Portsmouth when it notified HMS Tyne, a River-class patrol vessel, of its plans. The Russians advised the British ship to move clear before the 30-minute drill, and a French aircraft also made radio contact to clarify the manoeuvre.
The Neustrashimy, commissioned in 1993 and displacing 4,300 tons, had recently been seen near Clacton-on-Sea receiving fuel and supplies from a Russian support ship. She replaces the Admiral Grigorovich, which returned to Kaliningrad on July 16 after weeks of escorting tankers in the Channel. That vessel drew attention earlier when it fired warning shots at a private boat.
The exercise coincided with political change in London, as Sir Keir Starmer resigned as prime minister and King Charles asked Labour politician Andy Burnham to form a new government. Under Starmer, Britain had begun seizing Russian shadow fleet tankers, including one declared stateless whose captain now faces trial for sanction violations.
