Britain's Navy Keeps Eye On Russia's 'Ship of Shame'
(CNN)Britain's
defense secretary had some harsh words for the Russian military on
Wednesday as UK warships and warplanes tracked Russia's only aircraft
carrier through the English Channel.
UK sight Russia Aircraft Carrier
"We
are keeping a close eye on the Admiral Kuznetsov as it skulks back to
Russia; a ship of shame whose mission has only extended the suffering of
the Syrian people," Defense Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said.
The carrier and its escort are on their way back to Russia after participating in airstrikes in Syria. They left the Mediterranean Sea earlier this month.
Russia's
air strikes in support of the forces of Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad have been crucial in helping them to gain the upper hand in the
long-running conflict.
In December, they succeeded in pushing rebel fighters from the key city of Aleppo.
Syria's brutal civil war has raged on for nearly six years and killed an estimated 400,000 people.
Fallon said British forces were keeping a close eye on the Russian ships as they plied the English Channel.
"We
are man-marking these vessels every step of the way around the UK as
part of our steadfast commitment to keep Britain safe," Fallon said.
The
defense minister's comments were accompanied by photos of British jets
and ships shadowing the Kuznetsov and its escort, the guided missile
cruiser Petr Velikiy.
British forces also shadowed the Russian carrier in October on its way to Syria.
At
the time, Russia said the Kuzentsov's voyage was "to ensure naval
presence in the important areas of the world ocean. Special focus will
be made on safeguarding security of maritime traffic and other types of
Russian maritime economic activity and also responding to new kinds of
modern threats such as piracy and international terrorism."
But others took a different view.
"It's
a show of force and a show of capabilities," Peter Felstead, editor of
Jane's Defence Weekly, told CNN in October. "In terms of strike
missions, they (the Russians) could just as easily have conducted them
with the land-based aircraft they already have in Syria."
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