09:04, Tue, Nov 12, 2024 | UPDATED: 09:31, Tue, Nov 12, 2024
A massive Russian warship packed with deadly missiles was escorted by the Royal Navy after carrying out brazen military drills in the English Channel.
The Admiral Golovko is a Russian Navy Admiral Gorshkov-class frigate reportedly equipped with terrifying Zircon (Tsirkon) hypersonic anti-ship missiles.
Hypersonic missiles, as the name suggests, travel faster than the speed of sound and those on the ship have a range of more than 550 miles, meaning from the Channel the Golovko could strike anywhere in the UK from London to Glasgow.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, the military vessel was conducting "anti-terrorism drills" to repel drone and unmanned ship attacks on November 9.
The Royal Navy's HMS Iron Duke was dispatched to shadow the Russians away from British waters. The Russian Ministry of Defence said the Golovko was "ensuring a naval presence in important areas".
Admiral Gorshkov-class frigate is fitted with a hypersonic missile system (Image: Russian Ministry of Defence )
The UK Defence Journal reports the Golovko features a dizzying array of weaponry "including a 130mm naval gun, 16 vertical launch system (VLS) cells for anti-ship and cruise missiles, 32 VLS cells for surface-to-air missiles, and a variety of close-in weapons systems".
The intimidating vessel also carries a ka-27 helicopter and has sensors and radar for electronic warfare. The Russian warship has a top speed of 29.5 knots and can stay at sea for 30 days at a time.
A video posted by the Russian Ministry of Defence shows the crew of the Golovko carrying out drills on the ship with soldiers carrying AK-47s dashing up on deck and pointing their weapons out over the busy waters of the Channel.
Crew on board the Admiral Golovko in the English Channel (Image: Russian Ministry of Defence )
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A Russian MoD statement said on November 9: "Today, the Northern Fleet's frigate Admiral Golovko started crossing the Strait of La Manche. She has now crossed the strait's narrowest part – Pas de Calais.
"The long-distance mission of the frigate Admiral Golovko began on November 2 when she left the main base of the Northern Fleet, Severomorsk.
"During this time, the Russian seamen conducted a series of exercises on various types of ship's security and defence at sea crossings in the waters of Barents, Norwegian, and North seas.
"The frigate has already covered more than 1,500 nautical miles since she left the Northern Fleet's base. In the near future, the frigate crew will continue to carry out missions in designated areas of the Atlantic Ocean.
"The main task of the mission is to demonstrate the flag and ensure the naval presence in important areas of the off-shore maritime zone. The frigate Admiral Golovko is a modern multipurpose ship with guided missile weapons."
A view from the rear of the Admiral Golovko during the exercise (Image: Russian Ministry of Defence )
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