Russian spy ship Yantar
The ship would be collecting information about submarine power and internet cables in Irish waters.
A Russian spy ship, the Liberatewas escorted out of the Irish Sea in the early hours of Friday morning after entering Ireland’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and patrolling areas containing critical underwater infrastructure such as power and internet cables. The presence of the ship in the vicinity of these cables raised concerns about the security of essential interconnections to Europe.
O Liberate was first sighted on Thursday east of Dublin and southwest of the Isle of Man. It previously accompanied the Russian warship Admiral Golovko through the English Channel, under monitoring by the naval forces of Norway, the United States, France and the United Kingdom. THE vessel was escorted by the Irish Navy ship LÉ James Joyce out of Irish-controlled waters, while the Air Force continued to monitor their movements southward.
Concerns have increased due to vulnerability of submarine cables which connect Ireland to the United Kingdom, responsible for a large part of global internet traffic, used by technology giants such as Google and Microsoft. The proximity of the Liberate to these cables, including those connecting Ireland to France and the US, has heightened fears of surveillance or possible acts of sabotage.
Edward Burke, assistant professor of war history at University College Dublin, called the incident “alarming” and highlighted the need for Ireland to strengthen its naval capabilities and maritime security partnerships with Europe. Reports indicate that the Liberate operated drones over Irish watersprobably for recognition purposes.
Although officially classified as an oceanographic research vessel with underwater rescue capabilities, the Liberate It is linked to the Russian Ministry of Defense and has deep-sea submersibles. Intelligence analysts suggest that its mission is more linked to the collection of information and strategic signaling than direct sabotage, writes .
The movements of the Liberate were monitored while traveling with the Golovko and a tanker, the Vyazmaacross the English Channel. British, French and Irish forces coordinated surveillance, with HMS Cattistock following the Liberate after it separated from the group and entered the Irish Sea. Notably, the ship deactivated your transponders as it entered Irish waters, complicating tracking efforts.
Around 3am on Friday, the Liberate abandoned Irish-controlled waters, apparently without responding to attempts to contact Irish authorities.
