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What we should take from this is the broader point that we need to take the defence of our nation and resilience a bit more seriously as we are probably a bit closer to this sort of incident than most people realise."

With the Russians it's always worth thinking there is some messaging behind the action. I think the messaging here is really about the Russian navy, and by extension the Russian state, baring its teeth in the Channel, gently perhaps, but saying 'we are here and we are prepared to stand our ground when we need to'."

The Russians very rarely will do something like this in an uncalculated or haphazard way. I think what they're doing is baring their teeth, and if there are other ships preparing to come through the English Channel, I think this is a message to say, 'hey, look, we are here, we are serious and we are prepared to stand our ground'.