Keeping a close watch: Royal Navy tracks Russian warship sailing through UK waters

The Royal Navy has completed an operation monitoring a Russian warship as she accompanied a Russian cargo vessel through the English Channel and the North Sea.

HMS Somerset followed closely behind the Russian task group for three days, monitoring every move.

The Russian corvette Boikiy was escorting the merchant vessel Baltic Leader, which had travelled north from Russia's military base in Tartus, on the Syrian coast.

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HMS Somerset, a Type 23 frigate, used powerful sensors and radars to report the Russian vessels' every move, while a Merlin helicopter from 814 Naval Air Squadron flew overhead, gathering information from the sky.

The Navy tracked the Boikiy as she headed south through UK waters to meet the Baltic Leader and followed her back up as she escorted the cargo ship towards Russia.

RAF patrol aircraft and Nato forces assisted the monitoring operation, keeping constant eyes on the Russian vessels.

"(HMS) Somerset is well-versed in the escort of Russian ships, having conducted these operations on a number of occasions," said Commander Joel Roberts, Commanding Officer of HMS Somerset.

"Great professionalism has been shown by the ship's company to remain vigilant whilst operating in UK waters and integrating with our Nato allies to monitor Russian activity around Europe."

This was the second time in less than three months HMS Somerset has been called on to track Russian ships in UK waters.

Somerset's crew was recalled on Christmas Day to track a suspected Russian spy vessel for more than 500 miles, alongside patrol ship HMS Tyne.

Russian naval vessels often pass through the Channel as they transit to or from Syria, with more returning since the fall of President Assad, who had been a close ally of Russia.

Two weeks ago, another five Russian ships sailed up from Syria through the English Channel, shadowed by HMS Iron Duke, HMS Tyne and RFA Tideforce.