A Russian warship was observed carrying out a supply operation off the Essex coast.
The Admiral Grigorovich, a frigate monitored by the Royal Navy, conducted a "raft-up" with the Amur-class supply ship PM-82 close to the Galloper Wind Farm, near Harwich, as it travelled through UK waters.
The operation, identified by HMS Tyne, took place during a three-month period of heightened Russian naval activity in the region, during which UK forces kept an "unbroken watch" on Russian warships and support vessels.
A spokesman said: "Royal Navy warships and helicopters have maintained an unbroken watch on Russian frigates and their accompanying vessels in UK waters for nearly three months – and that vigil continues today.
"Patrol ships HMS Tyne, Ledbury, Severn, Mersey and Type 23 frigate HMS Sutherland tracked the Russian navy’s Admiral Grigorovich throughout May and into June.
"This followed a concerted effort in April, when Royal Navy ships or aircraft monitored the Russian warship every single day."
Naval personnel also boarded the shadow fleet tanker MV Smyrtos on June 14, just two days before the Admiral Grigorovich fired a warning shot at the British yacht Bright Future, south of the Isle of Wight.
Green berets from 42 Commando, supported by HMS Sutherland and other military assets, seized the vessel in a six-hour mission.
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Louise Sandher-Jones, Minister for the Armed Forces, said: "The Royal Navy is on watch every hour of every day, protecting our waters and helping to keep the UK secure.
"I pay tribute to the men and women who carry out this vital work every day.
"Their professionalism sends a clear message: we are always on watch, and we will always defend our nation, our waters and our critical infrastructure."
Vice Admiral Steve Moorhouse, Royal Navy Fleet Commander, said the service had worked tirelessly in recent months to safeguard UK waters and reassure UK allies.
The Royal Navy confirmed that HMS Somerset also intercepted the Yury Ivanov, a Russian intelligence-gathering ship, during this period.
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