Royal Navy frigate tracking Russian warship in North Sea

 Simon Hunter

11th January 2023 at 5:35pm

HMS Portland with Admiral Gorshkov and tanker in the background (Picture: MOD).

Royal Navy vessel HMS Portland is monitoring the movements of a Russian warship in the North Sea.

The Type 23 frigate and her embarked Merlin helicopter are tracking the Russian guided missile frigate Admiral Gorshkov and accompanying tanker Kama as they transit through international waters close to Britain, the Royal Navy said.

Portland worked with Norwegian Coast Guard vessel Bergen as the Russian ships moved south through the Norwegian Sea.

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HMS Portland's Commanding Officer, Commander Ed Moss-Ward said: "Escorting warships in UK territorial waters and the adjacent sea areas is routine activity for the Royal Navy.

Photo of HMS Portland during Exercise Dynamic Mongoose last year (Picture: Nato).

"By maintaining a visible and persistent presence, the Royal Navy ensures compliance with maritime law and deters malign activity to protect our nation’s interests.

"Escorting the Russian task group alongside forces from our Nato allies has demonstrated the UK’s commitment to the alliance and to maintaining maritime security."

Portland left her home of Plymouth on Saturday on her latest patrol. She underwent a major refit in 2021 and spent much of last year patrolling waters near the UK, with visits to Scandinavia.

She also operated with Nato allies on submarine hunting Exercise Dynamic Mongoose in the North Atlantic.