A Russian intelligence vessel, the Yantar, has been escorted out of the Irish Sea after it entered Irish-controlled waters, sparking concerns about the security of key subsea infrastructure. The ship was first spotted on Thursday, located east of Dublin and southwest of the Isle of Man. Before this, the Yantar had been observed traveling with the Russian warship Admiral Golovko through the English Channel over the weekend.
The Irish Navy’s LÉ James Joyce escorted the Yantar out of Ireland’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the early hours of Friday morning, while the Irish Air Corps continued to monitor its movements as it made its way south. The Yantar’s presence, a vessel equipped for oceanographic research and surveillance, has raised fresh concerns over the safety of subsea cables linking Ireland to the UK, which are vital for internet traffic and used by major tech companies such as Google and Microsoft.
The Yantar, officially an oceanographic research vessel with underwater rescue capabilities, is operated by the Russian Ministry of Defence. It has previously been spotted deploying deep-diving submersibles near subsea infrastructure. While its mission is thought to involve intelligence gathering rather than direct sabotage, its proximity to critical infrastructure has led to worries about potential threats to the security of energy and communication networks in Europe.
Earlier in the week, the Yantar was seen near Cork, where additional subsea cables connect Ireland with France, including some offering transatlantic connections. This has further heightened concerns over the protection of Europe’s underwater infrastructure, especially following the sabotage of pipelines in the Baltic Sea earlier this year.
Edward Burke, an assistant professor at University College Dublin, warned that the situation is a reminder of the need for Ireland to strengthen its naval and maritime security. The Yantar was also observed deploying drones over Irish waters, raising suspicions of surveillance operations.
International naval forces, including those from Norway, the US, France, and the UK, have been tracking the Yantar’s movements. After separating from the Admiral Golovko, the Yantar entered the Irish Sea and was shadowed by the British Navy’s HMS Cattistock. The ship briefly activated its automatic identification system, then turned off its transponder upon entering the Irish EEZ. Despite attempts by the Irish Navy to make contact, the vessel did not respond and eventually left the area in the early hours of Friday.
This latest incident highlights the ongoing concerns regarding the vulnerability of critical subsea infrastructure and the potential risks posed by foreign surveillance in these strategic waters.
