Russian destroyer escorted through Scottish firth

The Russian destroyer Vice Admiral Kulakov seen from HMS Somerset

A Russian warship and a support vessel were escorted through a Scottish firth at the weekend, the Royal Navy has confirmed.

The destroyer Vice Admiral Kulakov and the tanker appeared in the Moray Firth on Saturday.

The Royal Navy frigate HMS Somerset shadowed the Russian vessels from the firth to the north coast of Norway.

Vice Admiral Kulakov was believed to have been returning to Russia following a deployment in the Mediterranean.

The destroyer appeared in the Moray Firth on Saturday

The warship was accompanied by a tanker, which is standard procedure for Russian ships, said the Royal Navy.

A spokesman said: "It was not the Kulakov's first visit to UK waters as the destroyer was also shadowed by HMS Somerset from the same position in the Moray Firth in March 2016.

"Russian warships of the northern and Baltic fleets routinely pass through UK territorial waters en route to or from deployments in the Mediterranean and Gulf regions."

In 2011, a large number of Russian warships and support vessels took shelter from stormy weather in the Moray Firth.

Aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, a destroyer, two frigates, three oil tankers and an ocean-going tug were in the task group.

The vessels later left the firth, sailing into the Atlantic.

HMS Somerset shadowed the Russian ships to the north coast of Norway