A Russian spy ship has been operating near subsea cables in the Irish Sea just north of Dublin in recent days, according to vessel tracking data and military sources.
The Irish Naval Service is understood to be monitoring the activity of the Yantar – which has a crew of 60 and is ostensibly a Russian navy oceanographic research vessel – as part of a multinational intelligence-led operation.
On Thursday, the Yantar momentarily appeared on commercial marine tracking systems positioned 60km off the east coast.
The US and UK militaries are also monitoring the vessel.
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In 2017 the weekly publication of the Russian parliament, an official State media outlet, described the Yantar as carrying “devices that are designed for deep-sea tracking, as well as equipment for connecting to top-secret communication cables.”
It reportedly carries manned and unmanned mini-submarines capable of cutting or tapping into undersea cables.
The Yantar was initially observed by the Norwegian, Irish, US, French and British militaries accompanying a Russian warship, the Admiral Golovko, which passed through the English Channel headed for the Atlantic on Sunday into Monday.
Read more: Russian warships observed by Defence Forces south of Ireland
On Sunday, while south of Cornwall, the Yantar turned off its transponder, meaning it disappeared from vessel tracking systems. It is now understood in that period it left the Admiral Golovko and headed north into the Irish Sea.
Yesterday, for a period of six minutes starting at 1.22pm, the Yantar’s transponder became active again.
At that point it was positioned just inside the Irish maritime Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), five to seven kilometres north of several subsea cables which connect Ireland and Britain.
There are also gas pipelines in the same area.
Prime Time understands an Irish Naval Service vessel was positioned on the edge of the Irish EEZ, and across the closest cables to the Yantar, to deter entry to the EEZ. It is further understood that the Irish vessel ‘hailed’ the Russian vessel, meaning it contacted and communicated with it.
The Russian vessel left the Irish zone after a brief period.
The British Royal Navy ship, HMS Cattistock, has reportedly been shadowing the Yantar in the Irish Sea.
Flight radar systems show a large British Royal Air Force P8 surveillance plane has also been operating over the Isle of Man, north-east of the Yantar’s last known location.
Irish Air Corps planes are understood to have been involved in the monitoring of the Russian ship, which has been moving south. A US Navy vessel, the US NS Bruce Heezen, is also in the Irish Sea.
Asked about the recent activity of Russian vessels near the Irish EEZ, the Defence Forces said “under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, all vessels, including those of military nature, are permitted to transit through coastal states’ territorial waters under the principle of innocent passage.”
“Vessels transiting Irish waters are expected to comply with international law and may be subject to observation by Defence Forces assets to verify such compliance.”
“The Irish Naval Service Naval Operations Centre, in collaboration with the Air Corps and Defence Forces Headquarters, conduct 24/7 monitoring of vessels within the Irish EEZ. This surveillance allows for timely detection and response to any potential maritime situations.”
