US Coast Guard monitors Russian spy ship near Hawaii

The U.S. Coast Guard announced on Thursday, November 13, that it detected a Russian military intelligence vessel operating close to U.S. territorial waters on October 29, and that personnel continue to monitor the ship’s movements.

According to officials, cited by American media outlets, the Vishnya-class intelligence ship Kareliya was spotted approximately 15 nautical miles south of Oahu. The sighting prompted a response from a Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft dispatched from Air Station Barbers Point, as well as from the Coast Guard Cutter William Hart.

The Coast Guard emphasised that, in line with international law, personnel are monitoring the ship’s activities near U.S. territorial waters to ensure maritime security for American vessels operating in the region. Coast Guard crews are also observing the vessel as part of broader U.S. homeland defence efforts.

“The U.S. Coast Guard routinely monitors maritime activity around the Hawaiian Islands and throughout the Pacific to ensure the safety and security of U.S. waters,” Capt. Matthew Chong, chief of response for the Coast Guard Oceania District, said in a statement.

Hawaii serves as a major centre of U.S. military operations. It is home to U.S. Pacific Fleet headquarters, the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, and critical launch sites of the Pacific Missile Range — all of which are considered potential intelligence targets.

Other Vishnya-class vessels have previously operated near American shores, occasionally raising concerns. The Kareliya’s sister ship, the Viktor Leonov, conducted multiple patrols off the U.S. East Coast between 2014 and 2020. On at least one occasion, the Coast Guard accused the Viktor Leonov’s crew of navigating without running lights and failing to respond to VHF radio calls from commercial vessels.

By Tamilla Hasanova