Russian Warship Passes Through English Channel in Disguise

A Russian missile corvette reportedly passed through the English Channel in disguise over the weekend, raising serious concerns among NATO allies about Moscow’s use of deceptive naval tactics to protect its sanctioned oil exports, The Gaze reports, citing The Telegraph.

The Boikiy, a heavily armed Russian warship equipped with guided missiles and machine guns, is believed to have broadcast a fake identity signal during its transit on Saturday. The vessel allegedly travelled under a generic identification number, making it appear as a different ship on maritime tracking systems.

According to BBC Verify, the ship had earlier departed from Conakry, Guinea, without activating its Automatic Identification System (AIS) — a violation of maritime norms intended to ensure navigational safety. Satellite imagery, video footage, and tracking data later confirmed the vessel’s true identity as the Boikiy.

The corvette was escorting two oil tankers, the Sierra and the Naxos, both part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet — a clandestine network used to transport Russian oil in violation of international sanctions. Analysts say the use of military escorts aims to deter UK or NATO intervention, as intercepting such convoys could trigger confrontation.

“This action seems designed to deter the UK and other NATO states from attempting to board or seize these vessels,” said Dmitry Gorenburg, a senior research scientist at the Centre for Naval Analyses.

This is not the first time the Boikiy has entered UK waters. In March, it was tracked moving through the Channel and North Sea. But the use of a false ID signal marks a rare escalation in Russia’s maritime tactics. 

Naval analyst and former Belgian officer Frederik Van Lokeren described the behavior as “very, very uncommon,” noting that Russian warships usually disappear from trackers by simply disabling AIS, not impersonating other vessels.

The Royal Navy shadowed the Boikiy during its journey through the Channel toward the Baltic Sea. Webcam footage later confirmed its passage beneath the Great Belt Bridge in Denmark.

Data shows that the number of Russian oil tankers passing through the Channel has nearly doubled since London imposed sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The UK and NATO are intensifying efforts to monitor and deter covert Russian maritime operations in European waters.

Read more on The Gaze:  Can the West Curb Russia’s Shadow Fleet?