Closer to UK homewaters also, and potentially involving their navies. Hard to imagine Putin getting stupid with his only aircraft carrier, but he’s running out of money and the average Russian is reeling from currency devaluations.
“Hard to imagine Putin getting stupid with his only aircraft carrier...”
Which is why I think its a “decoy”. “Go ahead, take it out. See what happens”...type of move. Maybe a dare? I doubt if the Russians even need this flattop.