A Russian warship, the Neustrashimy, has carried out a live-fire drill in the English Channel, approximately 74 kilometers south of Plymouth. This action, which occurred on July 21, has been characterized as "quite unusual" by the UK Ministry of Defence. At the time of the drill, HMS Tyne was tracking the Russian vessel from a distance of about 4 kilometers.

The Neustrashimy notified HMS Tyne of its live-fire plans and requested that the British ship move to a safer position. According to reports, HMS Tyne complied and maintained a distance of over 9 kilometers from the Russian frigate throughout the 30-minute exercise.

UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting criticized the Russian activity as "demonstrative and irresponsible." He emphasized that Russia should not doubt the UK government's commitment to supporting Ukraine and standing firm with allies against aggressive actions.

An unnamed British naval source noted that the drill was particularly unusual given the busy maritime traffic in the English Channel. "Such activities are typically conducted in wider waters. Russia is aware of the boundaries and uses drills like this to remind us of their presence," the source stated.

This incident follows a previous encounter in which the Admiral Grigorovich frigate fired warning shots at a British-flagged yacht, the Bright Future, after it allegedly approached too closely in the Channel. The British Navy had also intercepted a tanker believed to be part of Russia's "shadow fleet," which is thought to be used to evade sanctions through a network of shell companies.

The Neustrashimy is the first of the large frigate class Project 11540 "Yastreb," launched in May 1988 and commissioned in January 1993. It has a full-load displacement of 4,300 tons, a length of 130 meters, and a maximum speed of 56 km/h, with an operational range exceeding 8,300 km. The vessel is equipped with a 100mm A-190E naval gun, two close-in weapon systems, 32 short-range surface-to-air missiles, and anti-submarine capabilities.