LONDON — Britain has deployed warships to monitor a Russian aircraft carrier group and other vessels Thursday as they sailed through the North Sea and the English Channel reportedly en route to Syria's coast. The frigate HMS Richmond escorted the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and its task group in the Norwegian Sea north of the United Kingdom between Iceland and Norway. The Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan has sailed from Portsmouth to monitor the group as it heads south toward the North Sea. The Royal Navy regularly shadows ships, and is being supported in this instance by the Royal Air Force. But this Russian deployment is somewhat different, in that only a few countries have the capability to deploy such a force — an aircraft carrier and supporting warships. "It's a clear and military signal that Russia is back on the international stage," said Peter Roberts, a senior ...