Russian naval aggression prompts new defensive initiative with ‘beer-drinking nations’

New alliance with the Netherlands and Baltic and Nordic countries comes in response to 41% increase in Russian naval activity around UK

Russian naval activity around the UK has increased by 41% in the first nine months of the year, a British defence minister has said, as the Royal Navy announced plans to step up a 10-country maritime defensive effort in response.

Luke Pollard, the minister for defence readiness, described the figure as “a huge increase”, justifying a new drone and warship initiative from “the alliance of beer-drinking nations” – the UK, the Netherlands and the Baltic and Nordic countries.