Suspected Russian Spy Ship Hanging Out by Hawaii

The US Coast Guard has for weeks been monitoring what is believed to be a Russian spy ship off the coast of Hawaii. The USCG described what is "believed to be an intelligence gathering ship" in a Wednesday news release, which was accompanied by video footage of the vessel. The sighting isn't so unusual: A Russian spy ship was also spotted off the coast of South Carolina and Florida in 2019, per CNN. A Coast Guard vessel also encountered four Russian naval ships near Alaska back in September, per Fox News.

A Russian ship was also spotted off the coast of Hawaii last April, and KHON reports this is believed to be the same ship. It remains in international waters and "we have not witnessed any aggressive posture," Cmdr. Dave Milne, chief of External Affairs, tells KHON. The Coast Guard "continues to coordinate with Department of Defense partners, providing updates to foreign vessel movements and activities and to appropriately meet presence with presence to encourage international maritime norms," per the release. (More Russia stories.)