Russian Warship Escorts Arms Shipment to Ukraine Through English Channel with Armed Navy Officers on Board

A Russian warship has been spotted escorting a sanctioned cargo ship crewed by men in military fatigues through the English Channel. 

According to The Times, the Boikiy, a Russian corvette measuring 343 feet long with a capacity of up to 99 crew members, was spotted escorting the Baltic Leader. The Baltic Leader is a large cargo vessel that was sanctioned by the US in 2022 for carrying weapons destined for Russia. This event took place in the early hours of Monday morning.

Armed personnel were seen manning machine guns on the warship as it passed through the south of the English Channel, the newspaper reported. 

The Baltic Leader was transporting military equipment from a Russian base located in Tartus, Syria. This base is associated with Kremlin activities that are currently being scaled down following the collapse of the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

James Droxford, an expert from the intelligence consultancy Droxford Maritime, mentioned that the recovered military gear found on the Baltic Leader could serve the purpose of enhancing Russia’s military capabilities in Ukraine, or it could be utilized to restock military supplies in other strategic Russian military zones.

The Boikiy’s escort mission began at 5am on March 3, south of Torquay. 

The convoy slowly travelled across the English Channel, before it was followed by two vessels, HMS Somerset from the Royal Navy and Belgian Navy vessel BNS Crocus. 

The Baltic Leader was then seen leaving the English Channel on March 4 at 2pm.  

Royal Navy frigate HMS Somerset monitors Russian merchant ship Baltic Leader in the Channel, part of a 3-day operation keeping watch on a Russian task group passing the UK

The Boikiy’s escort mission began at 5am on March 3, south of Torqua

Satellite images showed the Baltic Leader left Tartus, Syria, on February 13. Russia has been winding down its use of the part since Assad’s fall. 

This, combined with Ukraine’s increased capability to sink Russian ships in the Black Sea, has resulted in increased activity in Syrian waters. 

Droxford said: ‘Ukraine could destroy hundreds of tons of vital Russian military material in one go by attacking the ships and that’s a huge risk for Russia to take.’

Joseph Byrne, senior analyst at the Open Source Centre, told the Times: ‘While it isn’t exactly clear what cargo the vessel is loading, Tartus is a port where Russia has been storing its military equipment, likely waiting for transport.

‘Since mid-February we have seen a number of Russian flagged cargo vessels sail from Syria into the Mediterranean and through the English Channel.

‘They have exhibited highly similar patterns of life, including switching off their transponders when entering Syrian waters and ports, not broadcasting their final destinations, and appearing to sail through the Channel with a military escort for protection.’

Russia’s military has been getting bolder in recent weeks. 

Last week, NATO was forced to scramble warplanes from Poland after Vladimir Putin used strategic bombers and missiles to attack neighbouring Ukraine – even as Vladimir Putin insists he wants peace ‘as soon as possible’.

The Boikiy (pictured, front), a Russian corvette that is 343ft long and can carry up to 99 men at a time, was seen in the English Channel this week 

The Baltic Leader (pictured) was carrying a shipment of military hardware from a Russian base in Tartus, Syria

Putin used Tu-95MS nuclear-capable strategic bombers, causing panic in Kyiv as residents rushed for the metro underground shelters

Emergency workers search for a civilian in the rubble in Kostiantynivka, Ukraine

Putin’s air force deployed Tu-95MS nuclear-capable strategic bombers to pound targets across Ukraine, causing panic in Kyiv as residents rushed for the metro underground shelters.

Explosions were heard in Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Sumy, as well as in several towns across the regions of Zaporizhzhia and Chernihiv. Drones were also used by Russia, with several people reportedly suffering injuries.

Warsaw’s armed forces operation command headquarters ordered NATO jets to patrol Polish airspace as Russian bombers and missiles soared over Ukraine amid fears they could approach the Polish border.

‘Attention, due to the activity of long-range aviation of the Russian Federation, striking targets located, in particular, in the west of Ukraine, military aviation has begun to operate in the airspace of Poland,’ the command headquarters said. 

Ground-based air defences and radar reconnaissance systems were also ‘put on alert’.