A Russian Navy missile frigate, the Admiral Grigorovich, navigated the English Channel, also known as the Strait of Dover, on 23/4. It was escorting the cargo ship Sparta, the oil tanker General Skobelev, and the supply vessel Akademik Pashin.
This deployment occurred after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer last month authorized the British military to pursue Russian "dark fleet" vessels. This fleet is primarily used by Moscow to export oil globally and circumvent Western sanctions. According to a UK statement, task forces and law enforcement officers from the National Crime Agency could board and inspect these ships. However, London has yet to launch any operations, amid ongoing disputes over where seized vessels would be taken and which government department would cover the management costs.
The UK's Telegraph newspaper reported that the Sparta, believed to be part of Russia's "dark fleet" and previously involved in transporting military equipment to Syria, was reportedly en route to Port Said in northern Egypt. The oil tanker General Skobelev, part of this group, is also under Western sanctions. Data from the marine tracking website Marine Traffic indicated the Admiral Grigorovich frigate was positioned at the rear of the formation, while the General Skobelev led the convoy.
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Order of ships transiting the English Channel on 23/4. Graphics: The Telegraph
The Telegraph also reported that no British naval vessels shadowed the Russian convoy as it transited the strait on the morning of 23/4. This was not the first time the Admiral Grigorovich frigate had escorted ships through the English Channel. On 8/4, the Telegraph reported, Russia had deployed the warship to protect two oil tankers passing through the strait between England and France. The Royal Navy's supply vessel Tideforce shadowed that convoy, but no intervention occurred. More than 100 "dark fleet" vessels are believed to have passed through the English Channel over the past month.
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Russian warship (rear) escorts vessels through the English Channel on 23/4. Photo: BlackSeaNews
The Admiral Grigorovich frigate is the first of six ships in Project 11356M, one of the most modern frigate classes in the Russian Navy's inventory. The ship is designed for anti-ship, anti-submarine, and fleet air defense missions, capable of operating independently or as part of mixed naval formations. It is 125 meters long, 15 meters wide, and has a full-load displacement of 4,035 tons. The frigate is equipped with Oniks anti-ship missiles, Kalibr cruise missiles, and Zircon hypersonic missiles, along with a 100 mm naval gun, two AK-630 close-in weapon systems (CIWS), torpedo launchers, anti-aircraft missiles, and other weaponry.
Pham Giang (According to The Telegraph)
