Russian ships passing through the English Channel are being shadowed by Britain's Royal Navy.
The Russian warships are believed to be traveling to Syria to assist in the bombing campaign on the city of Aleppo, The Telegraph reported Friday. The publication said the Russian ships were heading toward the eastern Mediterranean through the Dover Strait.
British defense secretary Sir Michael Fallon has said, according to The Telegraph, that the Russian fleet will be followed "every inch of the way" as a way to test British capabilities.
"They are all in one line now," a defense ministry spokesman told The Telegraph on Friday morning. "They have to be to effectively go through the traffic separation scheme, and they are progressing as expected.
"They haven't slowed or sped up. They are going to be past Dover in the next few hours. When they are clear of the Dover traffic separation scheme, they will probably break back out in a formation scheme and be on their way," the spokesman continued.
Sky News reported video footage showed a Russian task force, including the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, moving off the coast of Dover earlier. The fleet also includes the Pyotr Velikiy battlecruiser, the Severomorsk anti-submarine ship, the Vice-Admiral Kulakov destroyer and other support vessels.
A defense ministry official said British ships are keeping about a five-mile distance from the Russian ships, The Guardian reported.
"It really depends. If they are really flying you will keep well away; if they're not flying you will get a bit closer," the official said, per The Guardian. "It's just about manners, really. They know you are there if you are at 10 miles, same as they do if you're at 1 mile. They will put themselves at a distance that makes it obvious that they are there but without making it either dangerous or annoying."
A NATO official told Sky News that Russia has the right to operate in international waters, but consider it a sign of possible escalation in the Syrian war.
"There are plans in place for NATO navies to monitor the Russian ships as they head for the Mediterranean," the NATO official told Sky News. "At the same time, the deployment of the carrier group to the eastern Mediterranean does not inspire confidence that Russia is working towards a political solution to the conflict in Syria."
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