The UK Royal Navy’s Type 23 Duke-class frigate HMS Argyll has tracked a Russian warship through the English Channel.
HMS Argyll monitored Russia’s Neustrashimy-class warship Yaroslav Mudryy and its accompanying tanker, the Kola, as they headed home after a Mediterranean deployment.
HMS Argyll commanding officer commander Paul Hammond said: "We are one of the Royal Navy’s high readiness ships and we knew we could be called upon to respond [to] a range of duties, such as monitoring a Russian warship, at short notice.
"The vast majority of the ship’s company, myself included, returned from a highly successful Atlantic Patrol Task (North) deployment just before Christmas.
"To be ready to undertake this duty after a short period of leave and maintenance is a testimony to their hard work and the capability of this ship."
The 4,900t frigate deployed its Lynx helicopter and sensors to trace the vessels off the French coast and track their entry into the Channel.
The Royal Navy took over from French surveillance, in line with a Nato agreement.
Claimed to be the longest-serving Type 23 frigate in the Royal Navy, HMS Argyll is based in Plymouth and has recently completed deployment to the Caribbean and North Atlantic on Atlantic Patrol Task (North).
Image: HMS Argyll following Russia’s Neustrashimy-class warship Yaroslav Mudryy. Photo: courtesy of Royal UK Navy.
