The Defence Forces observed a Russian spy ship operating three drones in Irish-controlled waters overnight, raising fears the ship was conducting surveillance of critical subsea infrastructure.
An Irish naval ship and Air Corps aircraft shadowed the ship as it passed through Irish-controlled waters through the night.
The Yantar, which is officially described as an Auxiliary General Oceanographic Research vessel by the Russian authorities, is widely believed by western military intelligence to be equipped to conduct surveillance, and possible sabotage, on critical marine infrastructure such as gas pipelines and communications cables.
It was operating as part of a three-ship flotilla, including the Admiral Golovko, a modern warship capable of carrying hypersonic missiles. Another group of three Russian ships was operating elsewhere in the Irish Sea and English Channel.
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The ships were being shadowed by the Norwegian and then the British Navy, and an Irish Air Corps C295 Maritime patrol aircraft.
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Security sources said the Yantar separated from the other ships before entering the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) on Thursday afternoon.
Acting on intelligence, the Defence Forces had a Naval Service ship on standby in case the ship entered Irish-controlled waters. Open source marine monitoring shows the Irish ship involved was the LÉ James Joyce.
The Yantar briefly activated its transponder signal, making it visible to ship tracking services, before turning it off four minutes later. However, the Irish vessel was able to observe its movements.
It was shadowed overnight by the Irish naval vessel and was observed operating near subsea communications cables and a gas interconnector pipeline.
At one stage, Irish military personnel observed three drones in the air which appeared to be under the control of the Yantar. Security sources said the purpose of these drones is unclear but that “they are a source of some concern”.
The Yantar, which has a crew of 60, is also believed to be capable of deploying autonomous undersea drones capable of interfering with subsea infrastructure.
The operation continued until this morning, when the Irish naval vessel escorted the Yantar out of the Irish EEZ off the south coast. A C295 aircraft was then redeployed to continue surveillance of the ship. That operation was ongoing as of lunchtime on Friday. Sources described it as an intelligence-led operation.
The Russian flotilla was part of a flurry of Russian military activity near Irish waters this week.
On Thursday, the British RAF scrambled fighter jets to intercept a Russian reconnaissance aircraft operating over the North Sea.
“Two Typhoons from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland monitored a Russian Bear-F aircraft as it flew over the North Sea. The Russian reconnaissance plane had been detected in the UK’s area of interest and at no time was it able to enter UK sovereign airspace,” the British Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
The Yantar has operated in Irish waters before. In 2021, it was observed by the Irish Naval Service operating near critical communications cables off the coast of Co Cork.
[ Defence Forces monitor armed Russian naval vessel off west coastOpens in new window ]
The Defence Forces and the Russian Embassy in Dublin has been asked for comment.
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