A Russian spy ship is believed to be in the Irish Sea off the north Dublin coast to survey the ground.
The Irish Naval Service is understood to be monitoring the activity of the Yantar - which has a crew of 60 and is ostensibly a Russian navy oceanographic research vessel - as part of a multinational intelligence-led operation.
The Yantar is reportedly also being monitored by the US, French, Scandanavians and British.
A Defence expert says Russia is trying to be a step ahead, so if it needs information to engage in espionage it will have it.
Security and Defence Analyst Declan Power says the Russian ship is in the area in case its war with Ukraine war worsens:
"It is incumbent on Russian armed forces to update themselves so that if hostilities in Ukraine broadened and turned into a wider confrontation within Europe, that there would be a number of designated targets that they would strike to degrade the Western Europeans options and to deny them for use in any shape or form"
