PM Burnham first day in office “welcomed” by Russian navy live fire gunnery in the Channel south of Plymouth

Wednesday, July 22nd 2026 - 09:15 UTC

Outgunned but unperturbed… HMS Tyne inbound to Devonport on the evening of 20th July after the incident (Photo: Kevin Kelway / Westward Shipping).

In what appears to have been a calculated show of military presence close to the UK, the Russian Navy marked the first full day of Andy Burnham’s premiership by conducting a live-fire gunnery exercise in the English Channel while under close surveillance from the Royal Navy.

The Baltic Fleet frigate RFS Neustrashimy carried out the exercise on Monday 20 July around 40 nautical miles south of Plymouth while being shadowed by HMS Tyne. The drill took place in international waters but within one of the world’s busiest commercial shipping lanes.

The BBC reports the Russian frigate warned OPV HMS Tyne before commencing the firing serial. The exercise reportedly lasted around 30 minutes. An MoD spokesperson confirmed that: “The Royal Navy monitored that exercise throughout, continues to track the vessel’s activity closely, and stands ready to protect UK national security.”