Russia confirms that tankers carrying its oil via English channel were escorted by a Russian frigate

MOSCOW, April ​13 (Reuters) - ⁠A Russian ​naval frigate escorted tankers ​carrying ‌Russian oil ⁠through the English Channel ⁠last week, ​Nikolai Patrushev, a close ally of ​President Vladimir ‌Putin, was quoted as saying ​on Monday by ‌Russian government newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta.

The frigate, ‌the Admiral Grigorovich, had escorted two UK-sanctioned ​oil tankers, the Russian-flagged ‌Universal and the Cameroon-flagged Enigma, through ⁠the ⁠English Channel, ‌Britain's the Telegraph reported last ​week. (Reporting ​by ‌Vladimir Soldatkin; Writing by Anastasia Teterevleva Editing by Andrew Osborn)