A Spanish Navy patrol vessel has shadowed a Russian warship through the Strait of Gibraltar and the Alboran Sea.

Spain’s Defence Staff (EMAD) revealed on Tuesday that the patrol vessel Tagomago was deployed to monitor three Russian ships as they passed through the waters off southern Spain.

The military vessel being monitored was identified as an amphibious landing ship belonging to the Russian Navy’s Baltic Fleet.

It was accompanying two merchant vessels which were also sailing under the Russian flag.

Spanish Navy monitors Russian vessels

The operation formed part of Spain’s ongoing Presence, Surveillance and Deterrence Operations, which are designed to monitor activity in Spanish sovereign waters and other areas considered strategically important to national security.

The Strait of Gibraltar is one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, connecting the Atlantic Ocean with the Mediterranean and separating southern Spain from northern Africa.

Spanish forces routinely monitor foreign military vessels travelling through waters of strategic interest.

Lieutenant Miguel Lopez Garay, commander of the Tagomago, said the missions contribute directly to the Spanish military’s understanding of activity at sea.

‘These missions contribute directly to our knowledge of the maritime environment and to deterrence against potential threats at sea,’ he said.

The Defence Staff did not report any incident or confrontation during the monitoring operation.