Russian Spy Ship Back on East Coast but Making No Waves in Washington
The Russian spy ship that transited up and back down the East Coast of the United States in February is taking another lap — and making no waves in Washington.
Last month's trip by the SSV-175 Viktor Leonov, though routine, made headlines because it appeared at an intriguing moment in U.S.-Russian relations.
After making its way back down the coast, it had a port call in Havana for a couple of weeks and then embarked on a return trip.
As of Wednesday morning, it was about 20 nautical miles off the coast of Georgia, staying well outside of U.S. territorial waters and conducting a perfectly legal transit, according to one U.S. military official.
The official said the ship is expected to head north along the coast and then turn back around and head to a port call in Jamaica. As NBC News reported last month, its limited and outdated electronic eavesdropping gear means it can only listen to radio communications — ship-to-ship, ship-to-shore, and commercial radio broadcasts.
Asked whether the U.S. military is concerned about the transit, the official said, "Not really. We are about as concerned this time as we are every other time they do this."