Kathrine Frich
The sighting comes at a time when both governments are watching one another’s naval movements more closely than usual.
Relations between Washington and Moscow have remained tense since the Alaska summit earlier this year, where officials from both countries left without clear progress on security issues at sea.
Those strains now frame a new encounter in the Pacific, after the United States detected a Russian intelligence vessel operating close to its territorial waters.
Encounter south of Oahu
According to a statement cited by Reuters through News.ro, the US Coast Guard detected the Russian vessel on October 29 roughly 24 kilometres south of Oahu.
A Coast Guard aircraft and cutter were dispatched to track the ship, identified as Kareliya, an Auxiliary General Intelligence vessel known for electronic surveillance and monitoring operations.
The Kareliya is part of a class of Russian Navy ships equipped to collect signals intelligence while operating outside foreign territorial waters.
Its appearance in the region prompted the Coast Guard to move quickly to assess its activity.
Coast Guard officials said the response focused on ensuring awareness and safety for American vessels sailing in the area.
Monitoring and legal framework
In its statement, the Coast Guard said it monitored the Russian ship “to ensure maritime security for US vessels operating in the area and to support US defense efforts.”
The agency emphasised that the Russian vessel remained outside the 12 nautical miles that define US territorial waters.
Officials also noted that international law permits foreign military vessels to operate beyond those limits.
The Coast Guard described its own role as maintaining oversight and ensuring navigation remains secure near American shores.
The Russian Embassy in Washington had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
Sources: Reuters, News.ro, US Coast Guard, Digi24
This article is made and published by Kathrine Frich, who may have used AI in the preparation
