The Portuguese navy has reported a recent increase in Russian ship traffic off its coast, including the presence of spy vessels. While authorities emphasize that such activity is not unusual, they continue to closely monitor the situation.
Recent naval activity has seen the passage of about three Russian warships, two refueling vessels, three scientific research ships, and one spy vessel through Portuguese waters. Major General João Vieira Borges, president of the Portuguese Military History Commission, told Euronews that the increased traffic is normal and does not warrant concern.
“Accompanying NATO exercises, or the exercises themselves, in the context of countries more or less associated with Russia or Russia’s own exercises implies that there will be movements,” Vieira Borges explained. “Because we’re in the Atlantic, and from the Atlantic, they go to the Baltic, and from the Baltic they can also go to the Arctic or directly from here. So this movement is normal.”
While these movements are viewed as a display of Russia’s power, they are also linked to the ongoing war in Ukraine. The commission did, however, caution that the presence of spy ships could signal an effort to gather intelligence or intercept communications.
