Royal Navy tracks movements of Russian submarines into the North Sea

A Royal Navy warship has tracked two Russian submarines as they sailed into the North Sea.

HMS Portland was on watch as Severodvinsk, a cruise missile submarine, and Akula-class attack submarine Vepr headed south from the Arctic along the Norwegian coast.

The Type 23 frigate shadowed the Russian submarines as they surfaced separately off the coast of Norway on 16 and 19 July.

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HMS Portland and her specialist Merlin helicopter reported on the movements of the Russian vessels before NATO and Baltic forces took over duties as the submarines continued their journey towards Saint Petersburg.

"Our success on operations marks the culmination of many months of specialist training and exercises," HMS Portland's Commanding Officer said.

A P8 Poseidon from the Royal Air Force, a new long-range maritime patrol aircraft, also supported HMS Portland in hunting and tracking the submarines.

"Critically, the cohesiveness of Royal Navy, RAF and our allies capabilities ensures that we are capable of conducting and sustaining these types of anti-submarine operations in the North Atlantic," Commander Tim Leeder added.

The operation comes after HMS Portland took part in a NATO's premiere submarine-hunting large-scale exercise.