The Royal Navy has kept close watch on two Russian ships operating off the east coast of Scotland.
Patrol ship HMS Tyne has been monitoring the actions of intelligence-gathering vessel Viktor Leonov and her supporting tanker Sergey Osipov which have been sailing around the Moray Firth.
The Portsmouth-based warship’s tasking falls under Defence Task One – protecting the territorial integrity of the United Kingdom.
In that role she has been observing the Russian vessels as they sheltered from Storm Aiden and carried out replenishment operations, before the Osipov left UK waters.
“It was apparent these two ships were making use of the shelter from the high winds and inclement seas of Storm Aiden, and Tyne remained close by to monitor their activity,” said Lieutenant Justin Shirtcliff, the ship’s operations officer.
“HMS Tyne and her sailors remain ready for short-notice tasking, whatever the weather, wherever the task.
It’s the third time in a month that the patrol ship has shadowed foreign warships in home waters – partly in conjunction with NATO allies.
Tyne shadowed a group of Russian warships including corvette Vasily Bykov, a Kilo-class submarine and their accompanying support vessel, an ocean going tug.
She was assisted by Portuguese frigate NRP Corte Real from NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 1, which ensured constant surveillance of the Russian units as they moved through UK waters.
Having handed over monitoring duties to the UK’s allies, Tyne headed south to observe another Russian unit, the Smolny, a cadet training ship, as it transited through UK waters.
In addition to monitoring duties, Tyne has also conducted her regular duties safeguarding the UK’s fishing stock by checking hauls of vessels encountered off the east coast of the UK.
“Tyne has once again shown the adaptability of the Royal Navy’s offshore patrol vessels and their crews. We have quickly changed tasks from monitoring foreign warships to conducting boarding operations to protect our fisheries,” said Lieutenant Commander Richard Skelton, Tyne’s Commanding Officer.
“I am proud of the hard work from the ship’s company that has made this possible.”
