Tri-Service
Russian Warship Escorted Out Of UK Waters
A Russian destroyer and her support ships have been escorted through and out of UK waters by a Royal Navy Type 23 frigate.
HMS Somerset was on a training mission when she, along with her Merlin helicopter, was called upon to locate and monitor the Vice Admiral Kulakov and accompanying tanker and tug.
A Russian Udaloy-class destroyer, the Kulakov was returning from a deployment to Syria when intercepted as it approached the south west of the UK.
Having transited through the English Channel the Russian task group anchored just inside international waters in the Moray Firth for several days to ride out the worst of Storm Katie.
The three vessels also took the opportunity to carry out an underway replenishment off the Scottish coast. It's understood the warship has now turned for home.
It was not the Russian ship’s first visit to UK waters as the Vice Admiral Kulakov paid a goodwill visit to Portsmouth in August 2012.
Russian Warships of the Northern and Baltic Fleets routinely passage through UK area waters en route to deployments in the Mediterranean and Gulf regions.
Commander Michael Wood, Commanding Officer of HMS Somerset, said: “This transit was continually monitored through a coordinated response between the Royal Navy and our NATO partners.
"The transit of Russian ships from the Mediterranean to their northern ports is not unusual, but the Royal Navy is ready at all times to protect UK territorial waters.”
Based in Plymouth, HMS Somerset is about to start a short maintenance period before resuming patrol duties around the UK.
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