The Irish Navy expelled a Russian spy submarine from its exclusive economic zone. It was in Irish waters for some time and patrolled the area of the Irish Sea where the most important energy pipelines and data cables connecting Ireland and Great Britain pass.
This is reported by the Irish Examiner.
The ship LÉ James Joyce followed the "research vessel" “Amber” and removed it from the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) at approximately 3 a.m. on Friday, November 15, from where it headed south.
The Air Corps dispatched a maritime surveillance aircraft to monitor its movements, while sources emphasized that the operation is ongoing. Military sources and security experts expressed concern about the "insolence" Russian vessel
There are three gas pipelines and two electrical interconnectors between Great Britain and Ireland, and two of them and one interconnector are located not far from where Yantar worked. Most of Ireland's gas comes via gas pipelines from the UK.
In addition, eight data cables connecting Ireland to the UK are also in the Amber patrol area.
< p>The presence of a "submarine-spy" in the Irish Sea on Thursday and Friday followed its deployment 250km off the south-west coast of Cork on Monday and Tuesday, home to a large cluster of transatlantic data cables, most of which go to the UK and France, but some land in Ireland.
The Air Force sent a maritime surveillance plane to track his movements in Monday and Tuesday. The Navy is believed to have taken no action.
Yantar was traveling together with the Russian warship “Admiral Golovko”, equipped with hypersonic anti-ship missiles “Zirkon”. and a fuel tanker.
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000Defence forces carried out an operation before the vessel headed into the Irish EEZ, and the Navy and Air Force shared intelligence on its movements with British military intelligence. The naval and air forces of Great Britain, France and the United States conducted a significant surveillance operation.
It is believed to have included the presence of a US Navy ship near Ireland's EEZ.
The L&E; James Joyce had already been tracking the Amber as it headed towards the Irish Sea. British ships had also been tracking it and had noted that it had spent some time in the Isle of Man area.
It is assumed that “Amber” entered the Irish EEZ on Thursday afternoon and turned off his AIS, or automatic identification system, which transmits his location. But the Irish ship was able to track it and followed it throughout the time it was in the EEZ. Apparently, they tried to call “Amber”, but the Russian personnel did not answer. Around 3 o'clock in the morning on Friday, “Amber” left the Irish EEZ and headed south.
At this stage the Air Corps took over surveillance and directed its CASA C295 aircraft from Casement Airfield in Dublin. The Air Force and the Naval Service coordinated their actions as part of the ongoing operation.
The military and security services claim that the Yantar is equipped with technology and weapons that can locate and interfere with submarine cables. Edward Burke, associate professor of military history at UCD, called the Yantar's behaviour “alarming”: “We are once again seeing the Russian fleet probing the defences of Western Europe,” he said. It is another wake-up call – one we don't need – that Ireland needs to strengthen its naval capabilities and deepen its maritime security partnerships in Europe, he said. A recent report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies at Georgetown University in Washington said: “Yantar was observed near submarine cables with underwater vehicles capable of cutting or connecting to these cables, indicating a clear intention to exploit these vulnerabilities in a potential conflict scenario».'