Russian military spy ship tracked by U.S. Coast Guard just 15 miles off Hawaii coast

The U.S. Coast Guard said it detected and tracked a Russia military spy ship just miles off the coast of Hawaii, the latest incident of a Russian vessel or plane operating close to the U.S.

The Russian intelligence vessel, Kareliya, was spotted about 15 nautical miles south of Oahu on Oct. 29, the Coast Guard said Thursday.

An HC-130 Hercules helicopter and a Coast Guard cutter were dispatched to monitor the ship by “conducting a safe and professional overflight and transiting near the vessel,” officials said.

The Coast Guard, which released a photo of the ship, said it is still tracking the vessel’s movement near U.S. waters “to provide maritime security for U.S. vessels operating in the area and to support U.S. 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 said in a statement.  

International law allows foreign military ships to transit outside other nations’ territorial seas, which extend up to 12 nautical miles from shore.

The Coast Guard said the Kareliya is a Vishnya-clblock intelligence vessel, which were built for the Soviet Navy in the 1980s. There are seven such ships still in service with the Russian Navy, according to the U.S. Army. 

The Kareliya was also spotted off Hawaii in 2021, USNI News reported at the time. In 2023, the U.S. Coast Guard also tracked a Russian ship near the Hawaiian Islands that was believed to be gathering intelligence.

Earlier this year, British officials said the Royal Navy was monitoring a Russian spy ship operating in U.K. waters. British Defense Secretary John Healey told Parliament the vessel was being “used for gathering intelligence and mapping the U.K.’s critical underwater infrastructure.”

“I also wanted President Putin to hear this message: We see you, we know what you’re doing and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country,” he told lawmakers.

Russian spy planes are also routinely spotted off the U.S., particularly inside the Alaskan identification zone. The zone begins where U.S. territory ends off the coast of Alaska, and aircraft from other countries are required to identify themselves to the U.S. and Canada when they enter. Russian military activity in the zone is common and not considered a threat, according to NORAD.

However, in September 2024, NORAD posted dramatic video of a Russian jet flying “within just a few feet” of NORAD aircraft off the coast of Alaska. At the time, a U.S. general said “the conduct of one Russian Su-35 was unsafe, unprofessional, and endangered all.”