UK Defence Ministry informs Royal Navy tracking Russian vessels in English Channel

Amid soaring tensions between Russia and the West over the Ukraine border situation, the UK warship is watching two Russian naval vessels sailing through the English Channel, as the UK Ministry of Defence announced on Wednesday. As per Daily Mirror, a spokesperson for the UK Defence Ministry stated that the Royal Navy monitors the presence of Russian naval ships as they transit through the English Channel.

The spokesperson further stated that ship surveillance is a typical response in this situation. Russia has been accused by the West and Ukraine of massing troops along the Ukrainian border which might accelerate the invasion of Ukraine. In the meanwhile, Russia has continuously stated that it has no plans to invade Ukraine and that it has the right to manoeuvre its soldiers within its own borders.

Russian ships' tracking handed over to HMS Argyll and USS Theodore Roosevelt

Meanwhile, on Monday, the French army stated that it had kept an eye on Russia's Soobrazitelniy and Stoykiy corvettes as they left the port of the Russian exclave city of Kaliningrad to perform military drills. The French military also tweeted that the Russian ships' tracking had been handed over to the British frigate HMS Argyll and the US aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. Earlier on January 24, it was reported that the two Russian ships had departed Kaliningrad to undertake combat exercises, according to Tass.

Yesterday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Following their meeting, the UK released a joint statement stating that the UK stands "shoulder to shoulder" with Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, according to Evening Standard. The statement also revealed that the Prime Minister reaffirmed the United Kingdom's commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within internationally recognised borders. Boris Johnson has warned Russia at a joint press conference with the Ukrainian President that the moment the first Russian troop crosses farther into Ukrainian land, the UK would impose sanctions.

Russia concerned about NATO's military action

However, Russia is concerned about NATO's military action near its borders and Ukraine's continuous military support, which includes an increase in the number of Western instructors in the breakaway Donbas region, according to ANI. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow does not rule out the possibility that the West's hysteria around Ukraine is intended to cover up Kyiv's attempts to sabotage the Minsk Agreements on Donbas.

(Inputs from ANI)