A RUSSIAN warship has been spotted off the Scottish coast.
The Royal Navy deployed its HMS Dragon ship as Russian intelligence gathering vessel Yuri Ivanov "loitered" in the waters off the Outer Hebrides.
The UK ship was in the area following a major Nato exercise, dubbed "Formidable Shield", which took place between May 21 and 23.
The ship's Merlin helicopter was also launched to collect aerial information, before the Yuri Ivanov eventually left and headed north towards its base in the Arctic.
HMS Dragon was built by BAE Systems at Scotstoun on the Clyde and is based in Portsmouth.
At the same time the Yuri Ivanov was monitored off the Scottish coast, three Russian vessels, two cargo boats and a warship, RFN Stoikiy, were also shadowed by the Royal Navy after being spotted in the English Channel.
HMS Ledbury, HMS Hurworth and the 814 Naval Air Squadron monitored the warship as it sailed west through the Channel to meet two merchant vessels which were returning from the Mediterranean.
Lieutenant Commander James Bradshaw, commanding officer of minehunter ship HMS Hurworth, said: "Monitoring activity on the seas and seabed around the UK is one of the core roles of the Royal Navy’s 2nd Mine-Countermeasures Squadron.
"This operation was all in a day’s work for the ship’s company who have shown great professionalism. We have kept a constant watch to ensure the security and integrity of the UK’s critical sea-lanes."
Lieutenant Commander Craig Clark, commanding officer of HMS Ledbury, said: “Escorting Russian vessels through UK waters is a vital demonstration of our unwavering commitment to national security.”
Lieutenant Patrick Bingham, gunnery officer from HMS Hurworth, added: “As a former merchant navy officer, I know how important freedom of the seas is to the lifeline of goods and raw materials upon which our economy depends.
“The Royal Navy has been a guardian of the freedom of the seas for centuries and I am privileged to have contributed to this mission.”
It is the second time this month that Russian vessels in UK waters have been monitored by the Royal Navy.
