A Rusian spy ship “loitering” in waters off the Outer Hebrides has been monitored by the Royal Navy’s HMS Dragon after the completion of major NATO exercise Formidable Shield that took place nearby.
The Portsmouth-based Type 45 destroyer continued to watch and launched her Merlin helicopter to collect information from above, until the Yuri Ivanov headed north towards its home in the Arctic.
Meanwhile, HMS Ledbury, HMS Hurworth and 814 Naval Air Squadron were activated to shadow RFN Stoikiy as the Russian warship sailed west through the Channel to meet two merchant vessels, Sparta IV and General Skobelev, which were returning from the Mediterranean.
The Steregushchiy-class corvette subsequently escorted the two cargo ships eastbound, with Portsmouth-based HMS Hurworth watching every move as the Russian group headed back to the Baltic Sea as part of combined NATO efforts.
This five-day operation follows the Prime Minister’s historic commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP to protect working people and deliver on the foundation of our Plan for Change.
Lieutenant Commander James Bradshaw, Commanding Officer of Hunt-class minehunter 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.”
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