Royal Navy ships have shadowed a Russian warship as it passed through the English Channel.
Portsmouth-based Frigate HMS Westminster and patrol ship HMS Tyne monitored the Russian warship Vice Admiral Kulakov on its way through.
Will Paston, commander of the Type 23 frigate, said: “The Royal Navy routinely monitors the passage of warships through the UK’s area of interest as part of its ongoing mission to support the defence of the UK.
“The Vice Admiral Kulakov conducted itself in a safe and professional manner throughout its transit.”
A navy spokesperson added: “Royal Navy sailors and aircrew monitored every movement of the Russian warship using state-of-the-art radar, surveillance cameras and sensors, allowing them to track the ship’s course and speed as it passed the British Isles.”
Minister for the Armed Forces James Heapey said: “Once again the Royal Navy has proven its ability to maintain the sovereignty of the United Kingdom territorial waters.
“I am hugely impressed by the professional way the sailors of HMS Westminster and Tyne have responded.”
British armed forces respond on the occasions when Russian ships or aircraft near the UK.
The most recent prior incident took place at the end of March, when nine British ships monitored seven Russian vessels in the English channel, citing "unusually high levels of activity".
That came shortly after RAF jets shadowed Russian planes flying just off the west coast of the UK earlier in March.
