Russian ships have been sighted by British naval forces in the English Channel and off the Outer Hebrides for the second time this month, PA Media/DPA reported.
Russian vessels have been tracked and escorted in UK waters in a five-day operation that began on May 18, the Royal Navy said today.
A similar incident occurred three weeks ago.
The warships and helicopters were deployed to "ensure the security of the UK's critical sea lanes," said Captain James Bradshaw.
The Russian recovery ship intelligence information "Yuri Ivanov" was observed in the waters off the Outer Hebrides following the conclusion of the large NATO exercise "Fearful Shield" nearby on May 21-23, the Navy announced.
A "Merlin" helicopter took off from the destroyer "Dragon" to collect information from the air as the "Yuri Ivanov" headed north to its base in the Arctic.
Three Russian vessels - two cargo boats and the warship "Stoikiy" - were monitored by the British "Ledbury", "Harworth" and the 814th Fleet Air Arm.
The corvette "Stoikiy" sailed west across the English Channel to rendezvous with two merchant ships - Sparta IV and General Skobelev - returning from the Mediterranean.
"Ledbury" met "Stoikiy" late on 18 May, watching the warship through the Strait of Dover on its westward journey - before "Harworth" took over the next day off Brighton and watched "Stoikiy" meet the two merchant ships.
The British minesweeper then followed the group east across the English Channel and into the North Sea until the end of the operation on the afternoon of 22 May.
During the eastward journey, a "Merlin" helicopter Mk2 from the 814th Naval Air Squadron monitored the Russian group, with aircraft and warships from NATO allies also participating in the operation.