The United States Coast Guard detected and closely monitored the Russian Navy auxiliary intelligence ship Kareliya as it operated near U.S. territorial waters approximately 15 nautical miles south of Oahu late last month, the military branch announced Thursday.
The Vishnya-class vessel has a documented history of intelligence-gathering missions in the Hawaiian region.
A USCG HC-130 Hercules aircraft from Air Station Barbers Point and the Cutter William Hart responded by conducting a “safe and professional overflight” and a surface transit near the Kareliya on Oct. 29.
USCG officials said the operation adhered to international law, and that personnel are continuously monitoring the vessel’s activity to protect U.S. vessels and support homeland-defense 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 at Coast Guard Oceania District, said in the release.
“Working in concert with partners and allies, our crews respond to foreign military vessel activity near our territorial waters to protect our maritime borders and defend our sovereign interests,” Chong added.
Working in coordination with the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) and other inter-agency partners, the USCG also tracks foreign naval vessels near U.S. territories such as Guam and American Samoa.
Under customary international law, foreign military vessels may operate outside other nations’ territorial seas, which extend up to 12 nautical miles from shore. The Kareliya’s operations in the region have drawn attention for loitering on the edge of those limits.
The Russian Navy’s Vishnya-class ships are known for signals-intelligence (“SIGINT”) and communications-intelligence (“COMINT”) collection, making their presence near key U.S. Pacific assets a recurring security concern.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
