Royal Navy warship HMS Tyne monitors Russian ships in Moray Firth

They have been spotted sailing around the Moray Firth, where they are believed to have been sheltering from Storm Aiden when it hit the country on October 31.

The ships carried out replenishment operations before the Osipov left UK waters.

The role of Portsmouth-based HMS Tyne falls under Defence Task One – protecting the territorial integrity of the United Kingdom.

Lieutenant Justin Shirtcliff, the ship’s operations officer, said: “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.

“HMS Tyne and her sailors remain ready for short-notice tasking, whatever the weather, wherever the task.”

This marks the patrol ship's third time in a month when it has been required to shadow 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 her 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 passed 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.

Lieutenant Commander Richard Skelton, Tyne’s commanding officer, said: “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.

“I am proud of the hard work from the ship’s company that has made this possible.”

Undated handout photo issued by the Ministry of Defence of Viktor Leonov, a Russian intelligence-gathering ship (right) and her supporting tanker Sergey Osipov which have been monitored by the Royal Navy while in UK waters off Scotland.

Undated handout photo issued by the Ministry of Defence of Viktor Leonov, a Russian intelligence-gathering ship (right) and her supporting tanker Sergey Osipov which have been monitored by the Royal Navy while in UK waters off Scotland.

Undated handout photo issued by the Ministry of Defence of Viktor Leonov, a Russian intelligence-gathering ship (left) and her supporting tanker Sergey Osipov which have been monitored by the Royal Navy while in UK waters off Scotland.

Undated handout photo issued by the Ministry of Defence of a Russian Kilo-class submarine and her accompanying support vessel, an ocean-going tug which has been monitored by the Royal Navy while in UK waters off Scotland.

Undated handout photo issued by the Ministry of Defence of Russian warship corvette Vasily Bykov which has been monitored by the Royal Navy while in UK waters off Scotland.