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| Russian fleet could pass through the Channel as early as Thursday night | Russian fleet could pass through the Channel as early as Thursday night |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A Russian naval taskforce believed to be heading to Syria could pass through the Channel as early as Thursday night, according to the Ministry of Defence, which has dispatched Royal Navy ships to shadow the vessels. | A Russian naval taskforce believed to be heading to Syria could pass through the Channel as early as Thursday night, according to the Ministry of Defence, which has dispatched Royal Navy ships to shadow the vessels. |
| The Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and its accompanying contingent of seven ships is understood to be sailing for the Syrian coast to take part in the assault on Aleppo. Separately, two Russian ships are heading north from Portugal to join up with the taskforce. | The Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and its accompanying contingent of seven ships is understood to be sailing for the Syrian coast to take part in the assault on Aleppo. Separately, two Russian ships are heading north from Portugal to join up with the taskforce. |
| There had been some speculation about whether the main flotilla would pass via Ireland, but an MoD spokesman said it seemed certain it would pass through the Channel soon. “They’re in the North Sea and they’re not going to turn west now – they are going to go through the Channel. It’s hard to say when,” he said. | |
| With bad weather building in the Bay of Biscay, the Russian ships had the option of either speeding up to stay ahead of it or hanging back to let it pass, the spokesman said. “Depending which of one of those they do will vary their time at Dover by potentially up to a day.” | With bad weather building in the Bay of Biscay, the Russian ships had the option of either speeding up to stay ahead of it or hanging back to let it pass, the spokesman said. “Depending which of one of those they do will vary their time at Dover by potentially up to a day.” |
| On current course and speed, the Kuznetsov and the other ships would pass by Dover first thing on Friday, whereas a “sprint” could see this happen around midnight, the spokesman said. | On current course and speed, the Kuznetsov and the other ships would pass by Dover first thing on Friday, whereas a “sprint” could see this happen around midnight, the spokesman said. |
| When the Russian ships pass near Britain the MoD has promised to “man-mark them every step of the way”. The Kuznetsov taskforce is being tracked by HMS Richmond, a type 23 frigate, and HMS Duncan, a type 45 destroyer. | When the Russian ships pass near Britain the MoD has promised to “man-mark them every step of the way”. The Kuznetsov taskforce is being tracked by HMS Richmond, a type 23 frigate, and HMS Duncan, a type 45 destroyer. |
| “They will track them through Dover,” the MoD spokesman said. “The frigate will peel off at some point, and the destroyer will stay with them.” | “They will track them through Dover,” the MoD spokesman said. “The frigate will peel off at some point, and the destroyer will stay with them.” |
| Another type 45 destroyer, HMS Dragon, is to sail at some point in the next 48 hours to intercept the two Russian corvettes heading from the south, which are expected to join up with the Kuznetsov taskforce. | Another type 45 destroyer, HMS Dragon, is to sail at some point in the next 48 hours to intercept the two Russian corvettes heading from the south, which are expected to join up with the Kuznetsov taskforce. |
| The MoD spokesman said of the ships heading from Portugal: “We don’t really see anything threatening in that – it’s just standard stuff, but we’ll send a destroyer.” | The MoD spokesman said of the ships heading from Portugal: “We don’t really see anything threatening in that – it’s just standard stuff, but we’ll send a destroyer.” |
| In practical terms, “man-marking” means keeping a distance of about five miles, the spokesman said. “It really depends. If they’re really flying you’ll keep well away, if they’re not flying you’ll get a bit closer. | In practical terms, “man-marking” means keeping a distance of about five miles, the spokesman said. “It really depends. If they’re really flying you’ll keep well away, if they’re not flying you’ll get a bit closer. |
| “It’s just about manners, really. They know you’re there if you’re at 10 miles, same as they do if you’re at one mile. They’ll put themselves at a distance that makes it obvious that they’re there but without making it either dangerous or annoying.” | “It’s just about manners, really. They know you’re there if you’re at 10 miles, same as they do if you’re at one mile. They’ll put themselves at a distance that makes it obvious that they’re there but without making it either dangerous or annoying.” |
| According to a senior Nato diplomat quoted anonymously by Reuters, the Russian ships will pass from the Channel towards Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean, heading for the Syrian coast. The source said the warships were carrying fighter bombers expected to join the attack on Aleppo. | According to a senior Nato diplomat quoted anonymously by Reuters, the Russian ships will pass from the Channel towards Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean, heading for the Syrian coast. The source said the warships were carrying fighter bombers expected to join the attack on Aleppo. |
| The diplomat said: “They are deploying all of the northern fleet and much of the Baltic fleet in the largest surface deployment since the end of the cold war. This is not a friendly port call. In two weeks, we will see a crescendo of air attacks on Aleppo as part of Russia’s strategy to declare victory there.” | The diplomat said: “They are deploying all of the northern fleet and much of the Baltic fleet in the largest surface deployment since the end of the cold war. This is not a friendly port call. In two weeks, we will see a crescendo of air attacks on Aleppo as part of Russia’s strategy to declare victory there.” |
| Russia’s defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, said in September that the Admiral Kuznetsov and other ships would be joining a taskforce in the Mediterranean. | Russia’s defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, said in September that the Admiral Kuznetsov and other ships would be joining a taskforce in the Mediterranean. |