Russian Frigate Admiral Grigorovich Escorts Sanctioned “Shadow Fleet” Through UK Waters Amid Putin’s “Grey War”

On a recent Friday, the Russian frigate RFN Admiral Grigorovich sailed unchallenged through the English Channel, accompanied by seven vessels sanctioned by the UK Foreign Office, including two overtly Russian-flagged tankers. The frigate had been shadowed daily in April by Royal Navy patrol ships Tyne, Mersey, Severn, the auxiliary RFA Tideforce, and Wildcat helicopters from 815 Naval Air Squadron. Earlier in the month the same frigate escorted the sanctioned tanker Universal, carrying “military-relevant” cargo for Russia’s armed forces.

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The operation forms part of what Russian President Vladimir Putin calls a “grey war” – the use of sanctioned commercial vessels, often termed the shadow fleet, to sustain Russia’s war effort while evading Western restrictions. The presence of the Amur-class repair ship PM-82, a 122-metre floating workshop, near the Galloper wind farm for a second consecutive month underscores the expanding maritime threat. NATO has linked these escorts to potential interference with the United Kingdom’s 45 undersea cables, which carry essential power and data flows.

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• April 2024: Admiral Grigorovich tracked daily by Royal Navy assets.

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• Early May 2024: Admiral Grigorovich repeats Channel transit, escorting the tanker Universal.

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• Friday (date unspecified): Admiral Grigorovich and seven sanctioned tankers pass through the Channel; PM-82 loiters off Suffolk.

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• 25 March 2024: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer authorises forced boardings of sanctioned vessels.

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• Recent week: Dutch Royal Navy vessel DSS Galatea joins NATO monitoring near the Galloper wind farm.

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• Sunday (prior week): Sweden seizes a suspected shadow-fleet tanker; boards the Syrian-flagged Jin Hui over flag-status concerns.

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• Seven UK-sanctioned tankers traversed the Channel on the Friday transit.

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• Average of at least four sanctioned tankers per day have entered the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone, per Starboard Maritime Intelligence.

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• 45 undersea cables link Britain to international networks, identified as critical infrastructure.

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The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) emphasizes continuous monitoring of Channel activity and stresses that enforcement decisions are made “case-by-case” under international law. Armed Forces Minister Al Carns asserted that British forces are “watching, tracking and ready” and that the round-the-clock operation “sends a clear message” of protection for national infrastructure. Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared a tougher stance on the shadow fleet, warning Moscow that the UK will “fight against Moscow’s illicit network of tankers.” First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins warned that Britain and allies need “collective combat power necessary to deter Moscow at sea or risk a direct military confrontation.” NATO officials highlighted the strategic strain on Russia’s navy caused by escort missions.

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A NATO spokesperson warned that the escorting activities “take up valuable days at sea for the Russian navy, and it places a strain on their ability to generate naval forces for other missions.” Analysts also flagged the risk that shadow-fleet movements could jeopardize the integrity of the United Kingdom’s undersea cable network.

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Local fishermen captured photographs of Admiral Grigorovich, later analysed by The i Paper, confirming the vessel’s passage. The Dutch DSS Galatea’s deployment near the Galloper wind farm illustrates NATO’s heightened surveillance of Russian naval activity close to critical UK infrastructure.

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Despite legal authority to detain sanctioned ships, the UK has not seized any vessels to date, and the MoD declines to comment on specific decision-making processes, citing operational security. The disparity between the UK’s robust legal framework and the absence of enforcement actions remains unexplained.

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• “We see a trend of Russian Federation Navy ships escorting sanctioned vessels through these waterways,” a NATO official said. “These escorting activities take up valuable days at sea for the Russian navy, and it places a strain on their ability to generate naval forces for other missions.” — NATO official

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• “Armed Forces minister Al Carns said: “As Russian warships continue to operate near our shores, our Armed Forces are there every day: watching, tracking and ready.” — Al Carns, Armed Forces Minister

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• “We will not provide a running commentary or get into details of our decision-making process as this could compromise our ability to successfully take action against sanctioned ships, only benefitting our adversaries.” — Ministry of Defence spokesperson

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• “The coast guard suspects that the ship is sailing under a false flag, given there are a number of irregularities concerning its flag status, and therefore does not meet demands for seaworthiness as set out in international regulations and agreements,” — Swedish coast guard

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• “ Putin steps up ‘grey war’ Last month, the head of the Royal Navy, First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, warned that Britain and its allies needed the “collective combat power necessary” to deter Moscow at sea or risk a direct military confrontation.” — General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord

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• “Keir Starmer said he was going after Putin’s shadow fleet “even harder”, and that Moscow “should be in no doubt” the UK will fight against Moscow’s illicit network of tankers.” — Prime Minister Keir Starmer

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NATO and UK forces plan to maintain heightened surveillance, including continued deployment of assets such as DSS Galatea, while legal mechanisms for forced boardings remain in place. The frequency of sanctioned vessel transits suggests that future confrontations over the shadow fleet are likely, with potential implications for maritime security and critical undersea infrastructure.

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