Nato and the Swedish military confirmed the two warships had entered the Baltic. 'Nato navies are monitoring this activity near our borders,' said Dylan White, the alliance's spokesman.

The cruise missiles on the Buyan-M class corvettes are known by the Nato code name Sizzler. The Russian military says they have a range of at least 900 miles.

Though variants of the missile are capable of carrying nuclear warheads, the ships are believed to be carrying conventional warheads. 

'The addition of Kalibr missiles would increase the strike range not just of the Baltic Fleet, but of Russian forces in the Baltic region, fivefold,' said Ben Nimmo, a defence analyst. 

He said the Baltic Fleet's coastal defences would also be beefed up with Bastion and Bal land-based missile systems. 

SPAIN SHUTS OUT RUSSIA: PLANS TO REFUEL PUTIN'S WARSHIPS CANCELLED

Spain last night cancelled plans to refuel Russian warships heading for Syria after Britain warned it would have civilian lives 'on its conscience'.

The Russian flotilla – led by the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov – had been expected to take on fuel and supplies tomorrow at the port of Ceuta, a Spanish territory on the north coast of Africa.

But officials in Madrid yesterday said Russia had withdrawn its request amid mounting pressure on the government to cancel the stop. 

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon had warned Britain would be 'extremely concerned' if a Nato member assisted a carrier group that later carried out attacks on Syrian civilians.

Speaking in Brussels, where Nato defence ministers are meeting, Sir Michael said: 'Our concern is that any Nato member should consider assisting a Russian carrier group that is heading for Syria and might end up bombing Syrian civilians.

'That clearly wouldn't be right and runs counter to the solidarity of Nato.

Eight of Vladimir Putin's warships were expected to take on fuel and supplies from the Spanish port of Cueta this week

'If that carrier group heads down to the eastern Mediterranean, as Moscow has announced, and then gets involved in striking in Syria and bombing civilians then that will be on Madrid's conscience.'

Last night Spain said it had withdrawn its permission for the refuelling after Russia was unable to pledge that the warships would not be used to launch bomb attacks in Syria. 

It is not known where the boats will now take on fuel. Greece, another Nato member, and Malta, which is part of the EU but not Nato, have previously allowed Russian navy ships to use their ports.

Last week Royal Navy vessels monitored the flotilla as it moved through the English Channel. The fleet was shadowed by the Navy as it passed through the Dover Strait.

Spain, a Nato member, regularly allows Russian warships to stop in Ceuta, which faces the British territory of Gibraltar on Spain's southern tip. 

But Nato said the prospect of Russia's only aircraft carrier heading to the region did not 'inspire confidence' that Moscow is seeking a political solution to the Syrian crisis.

Sweden's defence minister said his country was worried by the presence of the warships in the Baltic. He said the move was likely to keep tensions in the region high. 

'This is worrying and is not something that helps to reduce tensions in our region,' said Peter Hultqvist. 

Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said he was concerned by the Iskander ballistic missiles deployed in the Kaliningrad region earlier this month. 

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