MOSCOW (Sputnik) – A UK Type 23 frigate HMS Westminster has been sent tointercept several Russian vessels in the English Channel, local mediareported on Monday.

The situation was assessed by the Royal Navy as routine, the Telegraphmedia outlet reported citing naval sources.

The number of encounters between the militaries of Britain and Russia hasincreased recently as Russian vessels pass by the UK on their way from thenorthern fleet’s bases in Severomorsk to Syria’s Tarus naval base.

On December 26, UK Royal Navy’s frigate HMS St Albans escortedlink>theRussian frigate Admiral Gorshkov when it was in the North Sea close to theUK territorial waters.

On the Christmas Eve, the HMS Tyne patrol vessel was called to escortanother Russian vessel.

The UK Defense Ministry said also said in November that the Royal Air Forcejets had escorted three aircraft claimed to be Russian military transportplanes over the Baltic republics but did not disclose the date of theincident.