spanish navy tracks russian ship canary islands

Spanish Navy Tracks Russian Vessel in Canary Waters

Spanish Navy monitors Russian vessel in Canary waters

The Spanish Navy has carried out a surveillance operation in recent days focused on the Canary Islands, where it tracked a vessel from the Russian Federation for over 360 nautical miles within the archipelago’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The deployment was conducted by the Maritime Action Ship ‘Meteoro’, based in Gran Canaria, which was specifically activated to locate and monitor the passage of this naval unit in Canarian waters.

A mission for collective deterrence

The commander of the ‘Meteoro’, Alejandro Fraga Pardo de Guevara, stressed the importance of such missions for territorial security: “It is a satisfaction for the crew to contribute to collective deterrence in the Archipelago. Our work guarantees the integrity of the territory and prevents conflicts through a credible presence at sea.” These operations reinforce surveillance in a strategic enclave like the Canaries, a key hub in maritime routes between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Parallel operations in the Strait of Gibraltar

Alongside the tracking operation in the Canaries, the Navy also monitored the passage of other Russian units in the Alboran Sea and the Strait of Gibraltar. In this instance, the offshore patrol vessel ‘Vigía’, deployed from Cádiz, relieved the ‘Serviola’ in tracking ships transiting from the eastern Mediterranean towards the Atlantic.

Routine defence operations

The Navy emphasises that tracking foreign vessels is a routine task for the Armed Forces, which operate continuously to ensure control of maritime spaces of national interest. These actions, carried out in accordance with international law, allow for the anticipation of risks, prevention of incidents, and assurance of the normal development of naval activity in sensitive zones.

The missions fall within the structure of the Maritime Operational Command (MOM) and under the control of the Operations Command (MOPS), guaranteeing constant monitoring of the maritime environment. With this operation, the Navy reinforces its presence in the Canaries and consolidates its role in protecting the archipelago’s strategic interests and maritime security.

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