Portuguese Navy Escorted Russian Naval Force for Over 24 Hours

Portuguese Navy Monitors Russian Naval Force for Over 24 Hours

The Portuguese Navy has confirmed that it monitored the passage of a Russian naval force, consisting of a frigate and a replenishment ship, through areas of national interest over the past 24 hours.

The Russian vessels, the frigate Neustrashimy and the replenishment ship Yelnya, were tracked as they crossed the maritime areas of national interest and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Azores, heading towards the Caribbean.

The Portuguese Navy's Maritime Operations Center coordinated with the Azores Maritime Zone Command to deploy the oceangoing patrol vessel Sines, which began monitoring the Russian ships early Saturday morning. This monitoring operation, which took place in the northwesternmost part of the Azores EEZ, ended this morning, lasting more than 24 hours.

Through these monitoring and surveillance actions, the Portuguese Navy stated that it “guarantees the defense and security of the maritime spaces under national sovereignty, jurisdiction, or responsibility.”

The Portuguese Navy emphasized that these operations also contribute to protecting Portugal's interests and its critical infrastructure, ensuring the fulfillment of international commitments undertaken within the framework of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).