Royal Navy follows Russian frigate armed with "unstoppable" hypersonic missiles

A Royal Navy warship is tracking the movements of a Russian frigate armed with "unstoppable" hypersonic Zircon missiles as it sails towards the UK.

The Royal Navy has released a statement saying that HMS Portland is monitoring Russian warship Admiral Gorshkov and its accompanying tanker Kama as they sail into the North Sea, according to Daily Mail.

The Russian vessel is armed with new Mach 9 nuclear-capable Zircon missiles, which travel at speeds of nearly 7,000mph, as well as Kalibr missiles.

Following the announcement, the Navy released images of HMS Portland tracking the Russian vessels in the North Sea on Monday, meaning that the operation has been underway for several days already.

Norwegian Coast Guard vessel Bergen was already tracking the Russian warship as it sailed south through the Norwegian Sea, the Navy said.

HMS Portland then joined the vessels as they entered the North Sea.

The Navy's vessel is carrying a Merlin helicopter, both equipped with "cutting-edge sonars, sensors and torpedoes for specialist operations", the Navy's statement said.
In the statement, 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."