Russian at it again
It is becoming routine and common place now for British warships and warplanes to shadow Russian naval or airforce craft. It seems the Russians like to test the UK's defensive capabilities either in the air or on the high seas.
Tensions in the reign of Vladimir Putin have become strained between the UK and Russia because of world events. World events such as Ukraine and Syria have brought tensions to a boil not only with the UK but with other NATO nations and the United states.
What are the Russians intentions?
The UK is not the only nation to be tested by Russian warplanes like Tupolov bombers or Russian naval vessels.
Scandinavian nations like Finland who share a land border with Russia have many times launched interceptors or naval ships to shadow Russian craft.
If truth be told the UK and the Scandinavian nations are obviously not the only western nations that have to put up with these intrusions. Even the US sometimes has to keep an eye on Russian planes and warships flying or sailing near Alaska.
The question has to be asked; why do the Russians play cat and mouse with western nations defences flying near or sailing near their territorial waters or airspace? Two things really come to mind over this and that is that on many occasions the Russians are testing the defensive responses of western countries.
The other scenario could be as in the English Channel the Russians just happen to be sailing through waters near our coast to back up their forces in Syria.
Never the less whatever motivates the Russians to sail or fly by UK waters or airspace, it happens and it is only natural the UK would shadow them.
Once more British ships intervene
A little while ago I reported about the case of British warships based in Plymouth shadowing Russian warships as they sailed through the Channel. Before that British ships followed Russia's only aircraft carrier as it steamed through the Channel with escort vessels as it made its way to Syria.
It seems those Russians just love sailing by the UK as Hms Somerset found itself observing a Russian vessel. HMS Somerset is a Type 23 frigate armed with a 4.5-inch gun and a harpoon missile system well able to look after itself should the need arise.
This time the Russian ship was not a surface craft, it was a Kilo class Krasmodar submarine that chose to surface last Friday in the English Channel. The British frigate followed the sub as it traveled through the straits of Dover over the weekend.
Why the sub was off our coast again and where it was going is best known perhaps to the Royal Navy and the Russians on board.
