Frigate HMS St Albans escorts Russian ship through English Channel

Royal Navy frigate HMS St Albans is today escorting a Russian warship through the English Channel and Dover Strait.

The Portsmouth-based Type 23 frigate was activated earlier this week to keep watch on the Russian Neustrashimyy-class frigate Yaroslav Mudry.

As the current Fleet Ready Escort, HMS St Albans is the Royal Navy’s very high readiness ship which is charged with protecting the integrity of UK waters.

Commander John Cromie, the Commanding Officer of HMS St Albans, said: “As the Royal Navy’s high readiness unit in UK waters, we are the first responders to any potential incursion into UK waters and are highly trained in this role.

“Our activation today in response to the passage of a Russian warship close to the UK resulted in a cordial interaction between professional sailors based on the recognised conventions at sea. 

“We are always standing ready, as is the rest of the fleet, to defend UK waters and UK sovereignty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”

HMS St Albans is equipped with a Merlin helicopter from Culdrose-based 829 Naval Air Squadron and state-of-the-art radar.