Britain's Royal Navy has been so severely reduced that it lacks the firepower to protect its own cargo ships from potential Russian hijackings in the Indo-Pacific, according to multiple defence planners who have expressed concerns about the threat. The warning comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin urged his Navy to 'detain' any European ships as retaliation for Europe's crackdown on Russia's shadow fleet.
Navy's diminished capability
Admiral Lord West, former head of the Royal Navy, told the Telegraph that the Navy has been 'reduced and reduced and reduced' and no longer has enough ships to fulfil its role of looking after global shipping. He said: 'It's extraordinary that successive governments have allowed us to reduce our Navy in such a way. The patrol ships are there to show a presence. But going back 30 years ago, there were four or five ships that would be steaming around here, not just two.'
The concerns come after the UK seized a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the English Channel in July, a move announced by Keir Starmer. The SMYRTOS vessel has been anchored off the English south coast and monitored since the seizure. The Ministry of Defence has defended the action, citing Russia's fleet of hundreds of sanctioned vessels that carry oil around the world. By intercepting one of these ships, the MoD said, it hit a 'critical lifeline for the Kremlin in sustaining Russia's illegal war in Ukraine.'
Allies and burden-sharing
Sir Ben Wallace, former Conservative defence secretary, told the Telegraph that the first response to Putin's comments should be to work with allies such as France to ensure burden-sharing across the globe for escort or protection duties. This suggests that international cooperation may be key to addressing the UK's naval shortfall.
Earlier this summer, Russia launched hundreds of drones and covert UAVs across Britain and Europe from its shadow fleet in preparation for a future conflict. The International Institute of Strategic Studies issued a report finding that Putin's shadow fleet ships sent drones into Britain and Europe, targeting airports, bases, and nuclear sites, including RAF Fairford, Feltwell, Lakenheath, and Mildenhall, as well as dozens of sites across continental Europe.
Wider unconventional war
'We assess it is likely that Russian-linked vessels and the 'shadow fleet' were used as launch or recovery platforms for UAVs as part of the Kremlin's wider unconventional war on Europe,' the IISS warned. For years, leading experts in the UK have been warning that Russia is already 'at war' with the UK, with cyber threats and mysterious drone incursions attributed to foreign actors.
In late 2024, it was reported that a 'record number of incidents' impacted the UK's 'critical' drinking water supplies in 2024 – without being officially disclosed, according to Recorded Future News. This underscores the breadth of threats the UK faces from Russia, which may further stretch the Navy's limited resources.
The UK government has continued to defend the seizure of the Russian tanker despite fears it could spark wider issues for British ships, but the reduced size of the Navy remains a pressing concern as Russia seeks to expand its power at sea.
