A Russian frigate has carried out a live fire artillery exercise in international waters just over 40 nautical miles from the South Hams.

Baltic Fleet frigate RFS asked the Royal Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS Tyne to move away as it was planning gunnery activities.

These took place on Monday, July 20 lasting half an hour watched both by HMS Tyne and a French military aircraft.

It is not known if the exercise was timed to coincide with the arrival of new Prime Minister Andy Burnham in Number 10.

An MoD spokesperson confirmed that: “The Royal Navy monitored that exercise throughout, continues to track the vessel’s activity closely, and stands ready to protect UK national security.”

The Neustrashimy was ciommissioned in 1993, weights 3,500 tons and is armed with a 100mm main gun, anti-ship missiles, torpedoes and close-in weapons systems.

It is thought she has also been fitted with the PEROED-M counter-drile electric jamming system.

HMS Tyne is a River-class offshore patrol vessel built by Vosper Thornycroft in Southampton for the Royal Navy to serve as a fishery protection unit within the United Kingdom's waters along with her two sister ships Mersey and Severn.

All three were commissioned into service in 2003 to replace the five older Island-class patrol vessels.

Tyne is the sixth Royal Navy ship to carry the name and is based at HMNB Portsmouth.

There has been increased Russian Naval activity in the English Channel over the past few months and last month Royal Marines Commanders boarded a Russian shadow oil tanker.

It was a six-hour operation and the first of it’s kind by British armed forces.

Also last month retired British couple Jane and Alan Kelvey aboard their 40ft yacht Bright Future were approached by the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich 23 miles south of the Isle of Wight.

The Russian vessel fired warning shots into the air, sparking a dispute.