Portuguese waters have recently seen a significant rise in Russian naval traffic, highlighted by the passage of a vessel specialized in electronic espionage, according to Admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo, chief of staff of the Portuguese navy.
“There is a transit in our waters of ships from the Russian Federation, an increasingly intense transit, from North to South and from South to North,” Admiral Gouveia e Melo stated during a press briefing in Alfeite on Saturday.
In a short span, three warships—two frigates and a corvette—along with two refuelling ships, three scientific research ships, and an espionage vessel, have traversed Portuguese waters. The navy chief emphasized that the Portuguese navy is closely monitoring these developments.
“Our response to this is to follow them, control them, keep them under constant pressure with our constant presence,” he noted.
Admiral Gouveia e Melo’s remarks were made as he attended the arrival of the D. Francisco de Almeida at Lisbon’s Alfeite naval base on Sunday. The frigate, staffed by 167 soldiers, is currently engaged in a NATO mission.
