The Royal Navy’s HMS Somerset escorted a Russian naval task group returning from Syria as it travelled through the English Channel and along the east coast of the UK. Herald Scotland reports: HMS Somerset, a Type 23 frigate, along with its Merlin helicopter, was used to detect and monitor the Russian destroyer and its support ships as they transited through the UK area of responsibility last Wednesday until Tuesday when they sailed off from the Scottish coast heading back towards Russia. The Russian task group, including the Udaloy class destroyer Vice Admiral Kulakov accompanied by a tanker and a tug, were returning from a deployment to Syria. A Royal Navy spokesman said: “HMS Somerset was on a training mission when she received the call to locate and escort the Russian units. As with other Royal Navy ships operating around the UK, HMS Somerset was at a high state of alert to deal with any maritime security task, including the monitoring of transits through the UK area of responsibility by non-Nato warships. “Somerset intercepted the task group off Brest as it approached the south west of the UK and escorted it through UK waters until they turned for home, after spending [...]