A destroyer from the British Royal Navy has tracked and monitored a Russian warship close to the northern shores of the U.K., as reported by Sky News on Wednesday.

The HMS Duncan, based in Portsmouth, executed this mission under NATO maritime command, keeping a watchful eye on the Russian destroyer Vice Admiral Kulakov while it traveled through the North Sea.

According to a spokesperson from the Royal Navy, this marks the first instance of a British naval vessel operating directly under NATO command for such an operation.

In addition, a Wildcat helicopter was deployed for reconnaissance and visual surveillance.

The operation ran from October 17 to 19, with assistance from the French Navy and a Dutch Air Force NH90 helicopter.

HMS Duncan tracked the Russian ship’s journey from the North Sea through the English Channel, ultimately reaching the island of Ushant, located off France’s northwest coast.

Alistair Carnes, the Deputy Defense Minister of the U.K., emphasized that the Royal Navy is prepared to address any Russian naval activities to protect British interests and territorial waters.

Commander Dan Lee, who leads HMS Duncan, stated that this mission highlighted Britain’s dedication to collaborating closely with NATO allies to maintain security in shared maritime zones.

HMS Duncan operates together with the frigate HMS Somerset as part of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1), which is tasked with patrolling waters in Northern Europe.

The Vice Admiral Kulakov, commissioned in 1981, is a significant Udaloy-class anti-submarine destroyer within Russia’s Northern Fleet.

This vessel is armed with Kinzhal surface-to-air missile systems, AK-100 naval guns, AK-630M close-in weapon systems, RBU-6000 rocket launchers, Rastrub-B anti-submarine systems, torpedoes, naval mines, and has the capacity to carry two Ka-27 helicopters.