Defence Forces 'hyper aware' as Russian navy expected to conduct drills

The LÉ Samuel Beckett to the quays at Cork City.

The Defence Forces have a surveillance operation in place to monitor Russian navy vessels, which have been tracked off English and French coasts, in the event they enter Irish-controlled waters in the coming days.

Military sources told the Irish Examiner over a week ago that Russian ships were expected to head for Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for drills as part of its global ‘Ocean’ military exercise.