BYSTANDERS watched as a Russian aircraft carrier passed the Sussex coast, thought to be on its way to reinforce the attack on the besieged city of Aleppo in Syria.

Theresa May has insisted that the EU must keep "all options" open if Moscow continues carrying out atrocities in Syria, even as the Admiral Kuznetsov steamed through the English Channel, monitored by the Royal Navy.

The Prime Minister said it was vital for the West to keep up pressure on Moscow to completely halt the assault on Aleppo, where it is backing Syria's president Bashar Al-Assad in a bloody civil war.

Russia's ambassador to the EU said at least some of the flotilla was heading to the Mediterranean and did not deny that the vessels could take part in operations in Syria. It was spotted from Beachy Head yesterday.

Vladimir Chizhov insisted that there was still a lot of "terrorist activity" in eastern Aleppo but the Russians were not targeting civilians.

Asked whether she wished she had secured firmer action on Russia, in the light of the warships passing through the Channel, Mrs May said: "I think we had a very good discussion in relation to Russia and its actions in Syria.

Royal Navy vessels began shadowing the Russian warships as they approached the waters around Great Britain from the Norwegian Sea and are likely to continue "man marking" them until French counterparts take over."