Russian ships in Irish waters

The Russian Ambassador should be summoned to answer questions about the activities of two Russian ships in Irish waters.

“That they had to come in closer to the usual areas that they would close but at the end of the day that surely could be communicated to the Irish and the Irish Navy and the Irish government – and it looks like it wasn’t.” “Certainly, I think the Russian Ambassador should be called in to answer for these activities and to prove to Irish officials that this was just an issue of weather and them having no place to pull in for shelter,” he said. The Russian Ambassador should be summoned to answer questions about the activities of two Russian ships in Irish waters.

The three ships – the Umka, the Bakhtemir and the Fortuna – caused alarm among defence officials.

“The Irish Air Corps and the Irish Naval Service continue to monitor activity in Irish waters and to undertake Maritime Defence and Security Operations (MDSO) throughout Ireland’s maritime domain.” The Defence Forces deployed ships and aircraft to keep track of the vessels, which later turned south and appeared to resume their originally charted journey to the port of Malabo in Equatorial Guinea on the west coast of Africa. The three ships – the Umka, the Bakhtemir and the Fortuna – caused alarm among defence officials when they were spotted engaging in unusual manoeuvres off the Co Galway coast in the vicinity of a new subsea communications cable.

Pictures of the ships taken while they were in Ireland's EEZ off the west coast have been released by the Defence Forces.

“This week Óglaigh na hÉireann have monitored Russian commercial ships both outside and inside Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can help keep paywalls away. More than 5,000 readers have already pitched in to keep free access to The Journal.

The ships raised concerns among defence officials last week when they were seen engaging in unusual manoeuvres off the Galway coast.

According to the Defence Forces website, it has eight navy vessels including a helicopter patrol vessel, three offshore patrol vessels, two large patrol vessels and two coastal patrol vessels. The statement from the Defence Forces on Saturday said both the Air Corps and the Naval Service were monitoring activity in Irish waters and undertaking Maritime Defence and Security Operations throughout Ireland’s maritime domain. All of the country’s naval ships were docked in port on Saturday in spite of concerns over the presence of two Russian ships off the west coast.

Pictures have emerged of the Russian-registered ships that have been causing concern off the west and southwest coast of Ireland over the past week.

Their movements were monitored by the Air Corps, and by the Naval Service from their base at Haulbowline. At least two of the Russian ships were first sighted off the Galway coast late last week in the vicinity of a newly opened sub-sea communications cable. The three Russian-registered commercial vessels, the UMKA - an off-shore supply vessel, the BAHKTEMIR - a salvage and rescue ship and the FORTUNA - a pipelay/crane vessel, first departed from the Russian port of Murmansk on 23 February on a course for the Equatorial Guinea port of Malobo on the west coast of Africa.

Pictures have emerged of the Russian-registered ships off our west and southwest coast. There's calls for Russian Ambassador Yuriy Filatov to explain what ...

“That they had to come in closer to the usual areas...but at the end of the day that surely could be communicated to the Irish and the Irish Navy and the Irish Government — and it looks like it wasn’t.” “Certainly, I think the Russian Ambassador should be called in to answer for these activities and to prove to Irish officials that this was just an issue of weather and them having no place to pull in for shelter,” he said. Cork South West TD Michael Collins said that the Russian Ambassador Yuriy Filatov must explain what the ships were doing in Irish waters. At least two of the Russian ships were first sighted off the Galway coast late last week in the vicinity of a newly opened sub-sea communications cable. Defence Minister Micheal Martin has been urged to call in the Russian ambassador to explain what three of the country’s ships were doing off the coast of Ireland over recent days. Former Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan has described the activities of the Russian ships as “suspicious”, adding that the Tanaiste should seek answers from Russian officials here.

A severe lack of manpower in the Naval Service meant it was up to the Aer Corps to keep an eye on Ivan.

so we had to rely on the Air Corps. They were shadowed by an Aer Corps plane that took photos and videos of the ships. "They were no more than 13 nautical miles off the coast of Kerry, and that's simply just not good enough for a sovereign state," he added. "They're moving down from Murmansk in Russia, down to the African coast, but loitering over the west coast of Ireland to escape weather and to monitor some cables - and then to strategically signal to the Irish Government that they have that capability is certainly a possibility as well". "It's just completely unacceptable that three commercial Russian vessels, in a time of war, can move down the west coast of our country [and] loiter in and around our territorial waters. "They can put up an aircraft for a number of hours at a time and monitor the situation, but there's no substitute for having a naval ship on station". [Cork](https://www.corkbeo.ie/news/local-news/?recirculation_test=true) South West TD Michael Collins said that the Russian Ambassador Yuriy Filatov must explain what the ships were doing in Irish waters. [weather](https://www.corkbeo.ie/all-about/weather?recirculation_test=true) and them having no place to pull in for shelter,” he said. And now Defence Minister Micheal Martin is being urged to take action, and call in the Russian ambassador to explain what three of the country’s ships were doing off the coast of Ireland over recent days. At least two of the Russian ships were first sighted off the Galway coast late last week in the vicinity of a newly opened sub-sea communications cable. [the Russians](https://www.corkbeo.ie/news/local-news/michael-martin-says-ireland-not-26330384?recirculation_test=true) were just 13 nautical miles off the coast of Kerry. The images released by the Air Corps revealed the three vessels, the UMKA, an off-shore supply vessel, the BAHKTEMIR, a salvage and rescue ship and the FORTUNA, a pipelay/crane vessel, first departed from the Russian port of Murmansk on February 23 on a course for the Equatorial Guinea port of Malobo, Africa.