Russian Warship Escorts Weapons Shipment Through English Channel

HMS Somerset tracked the Russian corvette Boikiy and merchant vessel Baltic Leader transporting military hardware from Syria to Russia.

The Royal Navy's HMS Somerset shadowed the Russian corvette Boikiy for three days as it escorted the cargo ship Baltic Leader through the English Channel and North Sea.
The Baltic Leader was reportedly transporting military hardware from the Russian naval base in Tartus, Syria, to Russia, a route often referred to as the 'Syrian Express.'
Crew aboard the Boikiy were observed burning papers and manning the ship's machine guns during the operation.
HMS Somerset utilized advanced sensors, radars, and a Merlin helicopter to monitor the Russian vessels and coordinate with NATO allies for intelligence gathering.
This marks the second recent instance of HMS Somerset monitoring Russian activity in UK waters, following its tracking of a suspected Russian spy ship in January.