Russian attack submarines have conducted missions around the Irish Sea twice since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, three people familiar with the matter said, an unprecedented move by the Kremlin that forced the U.K. military to take steps to protect British and Irish waters.
The first deployment of a Russian Kilo-class submarine close to the Irish Sea, which separates the island of Ireland from Great Britain, happened around 18 months ago, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private assessments. The second occurrence took place more recently. The extent of the submarine movements went beyond what U.K. officials had previously seen, they said.
Two of the people said U.S. officials were aware of the sub movements. The U.K.’s Ministry of Defence said it doesn’t “comment on operations.” The U.S. monitors Russian naval activity, a senior Biden administration official said. White House spokespeople declined to comment on the latest report, and Russia‘s Defense Ministry didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Kilo-class submarine is a diesel-electric attack submarine capable of firing Russia’s Kalibr cruise missiles, as well as torpedoes and naval mines. Last month, Russian state media reported that Russian naval vessels, including the Yasen-class Kazan submarine, conducted simulated drills on the Atlantic Ocean ahead of a visit to Cuba.
The deployment of Russian submarines in waters…
