Chinese armada prepares for war games with Russian fleet

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The Dutch Navy escorted the Chinese flotilla through the North Sea on Monday

At least three Chinese ships were snapped storming through the North Sea by the Dutch Navy on Monday

    

THE Royal Navy shadowed a high-tech Chinese armada through the English Channel as it prepared to carry out navy drills with the Russian fleet.

At least three Chinese ships were snapped storming through the North Sea by the Dutch Navy on Monday.

 

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Royal Navy frigate HMS Richmond was scrambled to escort the Chinese flotilla through the English Channel

And Brit military chiefs today confirmed frigate HMS Richmond had been earlier scrambled to see the ships through the Strait of Dover.
A Royal Navy spokesperson told The Sun: “We can confirm that HMS Richmond has escorted a Chinese Navy Task Group through the UK area of interest.”
The fleet is heading to the Baltic Sea to join up with Vladimir Putin’s fleet for joint naval drills.
It is a move that further escalates pressure on Nato by Beijing and Moscow.

     

Tensions between China and the US have ratcheted up over North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and Chinese claims to vast areas of the South China Sea.
Russia and America have clashed over President Putin’s support for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
Putin has used his navy for sabre-rattling missions off UK shores on a number of occasions over the past year.

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A Royal Navy spokesperson told The “We can confirm that HMS Richmond has escorted a Chinese Navy Task Group through the UK area of interest”

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The Dutch Navy posted several snaps of the fearsome flotilla on Monday

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The fleet is on its way to join up with Vladimir Putin’s navy in the Baltic Sea

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China has been investing heavily in its navy in recent years on the back of its booming economy

Royal Navy Type 23 Frigate HMS Somerset escorts Russian submarine Krasnodar through the English Channel

Most dramatically the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov passed within sight of the White Cilffs of Dover on its way to a Syrian bombing mission in October.
The move sparked a war of words between London and Moscow with one top Russian military chief branding the Royal Navy "tiny".
Spokesman Igor Konashenkov: “[Fallon’s] statements and shows of escorting our warships are geared to divert attention of British taxpayers from the real state of the Royal Navy.”

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Putin sent his navy steaming through the English Channel in a show of strength last year

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RAF Typhoons monitored Russian warships Pyotr Velikiy and the Admiral Kuznetsov as they sailed through the English Channel last October

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Chinese Premier Xi Jinping and Putin have strengthened relations in recent months

Russian nuclear fleet's Admiral Kuznetsov heads for English Channel

Upon its return UK Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon responded: “We will keep a close eye on the Admiral Kuznetsov as it skulks back to Russia; a ship of shame whose mission has only extended the suffering of the Syrian people."

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