Royal Navy Tracking of Russian Vessels Near UK Waters Climbs 25%

The Royal Navy spent 21 days in July 2026 shadowing Russian vessels near UK waters — a 25% year-on-year rise, sustained across the first seven months of 2026. Operations centered on Russian frigates escorting "shadow fleet" tankers, ships moving Russian oil outside Western price-cap rules (a mechanism capping what Russia can sell for). The UK has sanctioned over 500 such vessels.