A fleet of warships from Russia led by the submarine-hunting vessel Severomorsk sailed through the English Channel on Thursday, according to Reuters.
The is the body of water southern England and northern France.
News of the four warships' presence comes after the country's increased military operations near NATO nations. Some of the exercises include deploying Russian aircrafts and bombers near territories of other countries.
Despite what seems like Russia's way of imposing its naval power, NATO confirmed that the vessels are not conducting military exercises in the area.
Lieutenant-Colonel Jay Janzen, a spokesperson for the international alliance clarified that the ships just passed through the Channel to avoid unfavorable weather conditions.
"Our information indicates that the ships are transiting and have been delayed by weather conditions, he told the AFP news agency. "They are not exercising in the Channel, as some Russian headlines would have us believe."
French maritime authorities' spokesperson Alexis Edme added that the presence of the Russian vessels in the area is not considered unusual.
"It happens several times a year," he said. "The Channel is a passage, they are coming from the north. It would be hard for them to do anything but pass through there."
As the ships sailed through the English Channel, Britain's Royal Navy deployed the HMS Tyne to escort the Russian vessels as part of its maritime duties.
The country's Ministry of Defense explained that the presence of the warships in the area does not violate international laws.
"We are aware that four Russian naval ships have passed through the Dover Strait from the North Sea into the English Channel, which all ships have the right to do under international law," a spokesperson for the agency told the Telegraph.
"The ships were escorted by the Royal Navy warship HMS Tyne as part of her UK maritime security role and have now left UK waters," the spokesperson added.
