Russia’s two small missile ships - the Grad Sviyazhsk and the Veliky Ustyug - have entered the Black Sea straits after completing missions as part of a Russian naval group in the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea Fleet Spokesman Alexei Rulev told reporters on Tuesday.

"The Grad Sviyazhsk and Grad Sviyazhsk ships are making a routine trip back to the Black Sea from the Mediterranean Sea," he said.

Rulev added that the two ships had been deployed to the Mediterranean Sea in June and had participated in large-scale drills that took place there in early September.