Putin spy ship is caught lurking near the Outer Hebrides during live drill on how to shoot down a Russian-style missile
Yuri Ivanov, one of Putin 's so-called research ships, was spotted lurking in waters off the Outer Hebrides during a live drill on how to shoot down a Russian-style missile.
It is believed it was trying to watch the NATO exercise known as Formidable Shield, which involved the firing of a £1million Sea Viper missile at a target.
The test, which involved HMS Dragon, one of the Navy's most powerful ships, was designed to simulate Moscow 's formidable hypersonic weapons.
The Sea Viper obliterated the incoming missile - with the Navy hailing the live drill as a 'huge moment'.
HMS Dragon, a Portsmouth-based Type 45 destroyer, then hunted down the Russian spy ship.
It sent its Merlin helicopter up to collect information from above, until the Yuri Ivanov headed north back towards its home in the Arctic.
Meanwhile on May 18, two other Navy ships - HMS Ledbury, HMS Hurworth - were sent out to monitor a Russian warship as it sailed through the Channel.
Lieutenant Commander James Bradshaw, commanding officer of HMS Hurworth, said: 'Monitoring activity on the seas and seabed around the UK is one of the core roles of the Royal Navy's 2nd Mine-Countermeasures Squadron.
'This operation was all in a day's work for the ship's company who have shown great professionalism.
'We have kept a constant watch to ensure the security and integrity of the UK's critical sea-lanes.'
Lieutenant Commander Craig Clark, commanding officer of HMS Ledbury, said: 'Escorting Russian vessels through UK waters is a vital demonstration of our unwavering commitment to national security.
'Whilst the Hunt-class is uniquely equipped for mine and sea-bed warfare, maritime security remains a crucial task that any Royal Navy warship is trained to undertake.'
Wayne Slater, from HMS Hurworth, said: 'Driving the ship close to the Russian vessels has been a new experience for me as a helmsman.
'Everything has been safe and professional but we're all trained to make sure we can respond to any aggression or incident whenever non-allied warships are operating near UK waters.'
Lieutenant Patrick Bingham, gunnery officer from HMS Hurworth, added: 'As a former merchant navy officer, I know how important freedom of the seas is to the lifeline of goods and raw materials upon which our economy depends.
'The Royal Navy has been a guardian of the freedom of the seas for centuries and I am privileged to have contributed to this mission.'
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