A RUSSIAN SPY ship passing through the Atlantic off Ireland has seen an Irish naval ship and the Irish Air Corps despatched to monitor it. 

The Viktor Leonov, which is a sophisticated intelligence gathering vessel, was spotted in the last few days making her way through the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The EEZ is a large patch of water surrounding Ireland located outside the 12 mile sovereign waters.

Sources have said that the Irish Navy ship LÉ Samuel Beckett was following the ship and recording details of her movements.

An Irish Air Corps C295 CASA maritime surveillance aircraft was also sent from its base in Baldonnel, Co Dublin to take images of the vessel. 

The Russian ship, which is a high tech spying vessel, left Irish controlled waters this morning and the Irish military assets have been stood down. It is understood nothing suspicious was detected and monitoring of Russian vessels has become routine for the military.

A stock image of the LÉ Samuel Beckett sailing past Haulbowline Naval Base in Cork Harbour. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Recent ships such as the Yantar spy vessel has been spotted near internet cables and has caused concerns about its motives.

The North Atlantic is a busy location for surveillance vessels from all major countries as they monitor each other’s communications, submarines and carry out mapping of critical undersea infrastructure such as cables. 

It is thought to be making her way to a surveillance mission in the Mediterranean.

Security sources believe the Viktor Leonov’s mission could be about to monitor the activities of a major NATO exercise. 

Another spy ship recently passed through Irish waters en route to the Caribbean.

The huge demonstration of western military power will include the British aircraft carrier the Prince of Wales which is due to leave Portsmouth in the coming days and, after assembling a group of British ships off Cornwall, will head to the Mediterranean.

The massive NATO maritime exercise taking place in that location has been dubbed Neptune Strike 25-1 and sources said it is a show of force by the alliance. 

The deployment of the British aircraft carrier is a proof of concept of a largescale maritime battlegroup which will see multiple countries, including Britain, Spain, Canada and Norway, joining the formation.

Once the NATO operation is complete it will head from the Meditteranean, through the Suez Canal area and into the contested waters of the Red Sea. It will ultimately make its way to the Indian Ocean where it will carry out major exercises with US, India, Singapore and Malaysia. 

A spokesman for the Irish Defence Forces said that they do not comment on operational matters.