‘A new wake-up call’: Russian ship accused of spying on undersea cables responsible for global internet traffic in Ireland

Last Thursday, November 14, a Russian Bear-F plane was intercepted by British fighter planes over the North Sea. The same day, a vessel named Yantar was spotted in waters east of Dublin and southwest of the Isle of Man, according to The Guardian. The boat had already been reported west of Cork on Monday and Tuesday, arousing the suspicion of the Irish navy.

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A sensitive location

And for good reason, this area hosts an underwater network of energy and Internet cables connecting Ireland to the United Kingdom. “These cables are responsible for global Internet traffic and connect the data centers of Google and Microsoft, among others, whose European headquarters are in Ireland“, indicates Het Laatste Nieuws. Suspicions of espionage concerning the Yantar are also reinforced by the flight over Irish waters by three drones belonging to the ship, as well as by the extinction of its transponders after its entry into the exclusive economic zone (EEZ ) of Ireland.