Royal Navy frigate intercepts Russian vessel in the Baltic after warship strays close to Nato-protected waters

HMS Montrose was taking part in an exercise off the Danish coast

The Type 23 frigate investigated an unidentified ship picked up on radar

Russian warship RFS Soobrazitelny was carrying out routine manoeuvres

Show of strength demonstrated Nato's resolve to protect its 28 members



It's the latest in a series of encounters between British and Russian forces



A Royal Navy warship intercepted a Russian military vessel that strayed close to Nato-protected waters in the Baltics in an echo of the Cold War.



HMS Montrose, a Type 23 frigate, was taking part in a multinational exercise off the Danish coast when she was dispatched to investigate an unidentified surface ship picked up on radar.



Despite choppy seas and 30 knot winds, the crew identified the unknown ship as the 104-metre-long Steregushchiy-class frigate RFS Soobrazitelny skirting Danish waters as it sailed west in the Baltic Sea.



Dispatched: HMS Montrose, a Type 23 frigate, was taking part in a multinational exercise off the Danish coast when she was sent to investigate an unidentified surface ship picked up on radar

Identified: The 104metre-long Steregushchiy-class frigate RFS Soobrazitelny, a Russian warship, appeared to be carrying out routine manoeuvres in international waters

As HMS Montrose closed with the Russian vessel, a Russian Ilyushin IL-20 ‘Coot’ maritime patrol aircraft was detected and appeared overhead, circling the two ships.



It was one of the Royal Navy’s most significant encounters with Russian warships in the region since the Ukraine crisis began.

Navy chiefs said the show of strength demonstrated Nato’s resolve to protect its 28 members against any threat from the Kremlin.



Both the Russian vessel and aircraft appeared to be carrying out routine manoeuvres in international waters.



Commander James Parkin, commanding officer of HMS Montrose, said: ‘All our interaction so far has been professional, and effective, and we have gained huge benefit from working so closely with our allies in such a busy and challenging environment.’



Lieutenant Chloe Lea, HMS Montrose’s watch officer, said: ‘We picked up a vessel on our radar that was not showing any of the normal behaviour expected of merchant vessels or allied warships.



International waters: The encounter took place in the Baltic Sea. The incident was the latest in a series of encounters between British and Russian forces

Monitoring: As HMS Montrose closed with the Russian vessel, a Russian Ilyushin IL-20 'Coot' maritime patrol aircraft (pictured), was detected and appeared overhead, circling the two ships

'We have seen the Russians operate a lot in this area but this is the closest we have seen them.’



Plymouth-based HMS Montrose, which has 205 crew and is armed with Sting Ray torpedoes, Sea Wolf missiles and Harpoon missiles, is taking part in the US-led exercise involving warships, submarines and helicopters from 14 different nations.



Last week’s incident was the latest in a series of encounters between British and Russian forces.



WARSHIPS: BRITISH HMS MONTROSE

Base: Plymouth Crew members on board: 205

Weapons and missiles: Armed with Sting Ray torpedoes, Sea Wolf missiles and Harpoon missiles Length: 133 metres

Top speed: 28 knots RUSSIAN RFS SOOBRAZITELNY Base: St Petersburg

Crew members on board: 98 Weapons and missiles: A combination of missile systems including Kh-35 missiles, 3M-54 Klub missiles and anti-torpedo missiles Length: 104 metres

Top speed: 27 knots

Earlier this month two RAF fighters shadowed seven menacing Russian warplanes that flew too close to Baltic airspace.



The fully-armed Typhoons from 3 (Fighter) Squadron were scrambled after unidentified aircraft were detected by Nato air defences in international airspace. All were subsequently identified as Russian.

