A Russian intelligence ship, the Yantar, has been escorted out of the Irish Sea after it entered Irish-controlled waters and patrolled areas containing vital subsea energy and internet infrastructure. The ship was spotted on Thursday, east of Dublin and southwest of the Isle of Man, but it had been tracked earlier in the week, accompanying a Russian warship, the Admiral Golovko, through the English Channel.
The Irish navy’s LÉ James Joyce escorted the Yantar out of Ireland’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) at around 3 am on Friday, while Irish Air Corps continued to monitor its movements as it headed south. The vessel’s presence raised fresh concerns over the security of the interconnector cables that run between Ireland and the UK, which carry significant global internet traffic for major tech companies, including Google and Microsoft.
The Yantar is operated by a division of the Russian Ministry of Defence and is officially classified as an auxiliary general oceanographic research vessel, equipped with underwater rescue capabilities. It has been seen deploying deep-diving submersibles in areas near subsea infrastructure, leading analysts to speculate that its activities might be more about intelligence gathering than sabotage.
The ship’s presence comes amid ongoing concerns over critical infrastructure security in Europe, especially following the suspected sabotage of the Baltic gas pipeline and underwater cables between Finland and Estonia earlier this year. The Yantar was previously seen west of Cork, close to another set of cables connecting Ireland with France, some of which offer transatlantic connectivity.
Edward Burke, a historian at University College Dublin, expressed concern over the situation, stating that the Russian navy’s actions were a reminder of the need for Ireland to enhance its naval and maritime security. The Irish Defence Forces observed the Yantar operating drones over Irish waters, further heightening fears of surveillance activities.
The Yantar had been shadowed by various military forces, including the Norwegian, US, French, and British navies, after it separated from the Admiral Golovko and headed into the Irish Sea. The ship had switched off its transponder after entering the Irish EEZ, but the Irish navy continued to track its movements. Attempts to contact the vessel went unanswered, and it eventually exited the Irish waters in the early hours of Friday morning.
The continued presence of Russian vessels near critical European infrastructure underscores the ongoing geopolitical tensions and the vulnerability of subsea cables that underpin global communications and energy systems.
