UK’s Nato envoy warns Royal Navy may have to battle Russia

‘High risk’ of death of UK personnel if Britain joins force to break Black Sea blockade, says Tory MP

Royal Navy ships could be sent into action against Russia’s Black Sea blockade of Ukraine, a Tory MP who leads the UK’s parliamentary delegation to Nato has suggested.

Alec Shelbrooke said that British warships could have to use “lethal defensive force” against Russia’s forces as part of a mission to escort vital grain supplies out of Ukrainian ports, at the “high risk” of deaths of UK personnel and the escalation of war in Europe.

In a message to constituents, Mr Shelbrooke said that a challenge to Boris Johnson’s leadership would be “an indulgence” at a time when the prime minister is playing a prominent role in the global response to Vladimir Putin’s invasion.