Russian submarine 'chased' from Cork Harbour by British navy

Military insiders say the Russians are probing British defence systems as they realise the UK is vulnerable on its western flank because the Irish navy has no sonar capabilities

The newly-built nuclear submarine The Krasnoyarsk is seen after a flag-raising ceremony on Monday for newly-built nuclear submarines at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk in Russia's Archangelsk region, Monday, Dec. 11, 2023. Picture: Kirill Iodas, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP

A Russian submarine which positioned itself directly outside the entrance to Cork Harbour was "chased off" by a British helicopter and warship because our depleted navy doesn’t have the equipment to detect potential underwater threats.

The submarine was just outside the 12-mile limit, so it didn’t break any international laws, but military sources have indicated that such events around the Irish coast are becoming more common.