Ireland's waters face rising Russian maritime presence
Ireland's territorial waters have become a point of concern for European security due to the increasing presence of the Russian "ghost fleet." According to data from RTE, approximately 250 Moscow-linked vessels passed through Ireland's Exclusive Economic Zone during the first seven months of 2025.
Strategic concerns center on the protection of submarine cables in the Atlantic that connect Europe to the United States. The Russian vessel Yantar, which possesses capabilities to detect submarine cables, has been repeatedly spotted in Irish and British waters over the last two years.
Ireland's ability to respond to potential espionage or sabotage is limited by its traditional neutrality and low defense investment. In 2024, the country's military spending was just 0.2% of its GDP, the lowest in the European Union. Furthermore, only four of the eight Irish Navy vessels are currently operational, and the country lacks long-range military radar and high-precision equipment for surveillance.
Security expert Brendan Flynn of the University of Galway noted that while an attack on undersea infrastructure may not be considered highly probable, Ireland remains exposed as NATO would not intervene due to Ireland's non-member status.
Entities: Brendan Flynn · Ireland · NATO · Russia · Yantar
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 4 SOURCES] The Russian vessel Yantar, capable of detecting submarine cables, has been repeatedly present in Irish and British waters. (unspecified)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Only four of the eight Irish Navy vessels are currently operational. (unspecified)
- [● 4 SOURCES] NATO would not intervene in the event of an attack on Irish infrastructure because Ireland is not a member state. (Brendan Flynn)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Ireland allocated only 0.2% of its GDP to military spending in 2024. (World Bank)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Approximately 250 Moscow-linked vessels passed through Ireland's Exclusive Economic Zone in the first seven months of 2025. (RTE)