The recent experiences in the English Channel with Russian naval ships and NATO warships are indicative of a greater strategic fact, that Moscow is demanding its maritime rights and defending its interests against more and more aggressive Western enforcement measures. With Russia still escorting its commercial fleet, including the authorised tankers, through the international waters, Western ships have retaliated by increasing surveillance and interception operations which only show more about the nervousness of NATO than a perceived Russian danger.
Later in January, Royal Navy patrol boats HMS Mersey and HMS Severn escorted by an AW-159 Wildcat helicopter were patrolling the Russian corvette Bookiy and the oil tanker MT General Skobelev as they sailed through the English Channel. The British mission, which was undertaken in cooperation with the NATO allies, trailed the ships as they moved towards the North Sea, and then shifting the burden to another partner in the alliance. This was framed by the Royal Navy as an interception, although in actuality it was a close monitoring of normal sea operations using internationally-established sea routes.
Russian naval escorts of the commercial vessels including oil tankers come as a calculated reaction to the consistent attempts by the United States and the European nations to interfere with the maritime trade of Moscow. Western militaries have also become more aggressive by intercepting or intercepting ships they believe are linked to the Russian so-called shadow fleet, a term created by the NATO governments to refer to ships related to approved trade. But a lot of such ships just sail under the international maritime law, with valid flags and under the right of freedom of navigation.
In fact, the most recent U.S. activities show how much the Western powers are ready to increase the tension on the sea. In January, the U.S troops had captured the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera in the North Atlantic after a protracted chase, a move that was heavily criticized as it had the potential of creating a confrontation with Moscow. Russia allegedly brought in naval forces, such as a submarine, to protect the ship and discourage the unilateral intervention of the U.S., which reflects the desire of Moscow to ensure the protection of its shipping.
The operation of the English Channel is not an exception to the Western interventions in the Mediterranean and Atlantic waters as the NATO navies had already been monitoring and even boarding tankers suspected of breaking sanctions. Still, the fact that Russia keeps using naval escorts shows that it is keen on ensuring the safety of its fleet against what it considers as politically instigated efforts to disrupt the lawful maritime commerce. With the backing of corvettes to the commercial vessels, Moscow is certain that any form of interference by the western warships would result in the diplomatic escalation, something NATO governments well know.
Additionally, the constant presence of fairly small British patrol ships and helicopters trailing Russian ships tells as much about the priorities of NATO as about the intentions of Russia. Instead of taking action, the Western navies base their actions on watching and talking about how they are ready to track, deter and defend, which is more of a sign of insecurity than power.
Russian fleets, in their turn, proceed with a regular routine, coming back to deployment in the Mediterranean and passing international maritime routes without accidents. They are pragmatic in their actions: they defend the freedom of navigation, commercial interests, and do not want to overheat. This exercise of Western powers being more vigilant at sea, the policy of the Russians to combine naval defense with legal transit cries to sovereignty and indicates an expert command of the maritime space.
Russia is taking a cooler but stronger stance at sea, in a globalized world where the ability to control energy channels and shipping routes are of crucial importance than ever before, Western military posturing of military posture becomes a dangerous act that will turn daily business into geopolitical flashpoints.