On January 23, a Russian spy ship, the Kildin, encountered difficulties off the Syrian coast. The vessel, equipped with intelligence-gathering technology, sent out a distress call over the radio, informing other ships to maintain a safe distance. The Kildin reported, "Warship on your course. I am drifting. I’m not under command." This alarming announcement coincided with visible flames and black smoke billowing from the ship's smokestack.
The Associated Press (AP) obtained audio recordings of this distress communication, along with video and images of the fire, reportedly captured by a NATO vessel nearby. Military officials from a NATO nation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, provided insights regarding the situation that Russian authorities have not publicly commented on.
The audio reveals critical details about Russia's fleet of spy ships operating in sensitive waters, particularly as NATO nations remain vigilant about potential threats to underwater cables and pipelines amid ongoing tensions due to the war in Ukraine. Despite the Kildin's troubles, it did not respond to offers of assistance from the NATO vessel in the vicinity.
In addition to the Kildin's incident, the UK recently monitored another Russian spy ship, the Yantar, while it was loitering over essential undersea infrastructure in the English Channel. The U.K. Defense Ministry confirmed that a Royal Navy submarine surfaced near the Yantar to alert it that its actions were under scrutiny.
As for the Kildin, the 55-year-old ship was previously engaged in gathering intelligence on NATO operations in the Mediterranean and was near Turkish naval exercises when it caught fire. The blaze reportedly raged for at least four hours, prompting the crew to prepare lifeboats; however, they did not deploy them. At one point, the Kildin flew two black balls from its masts, signaling its inability to steer. Eventually, the crew regained control, and the Kildin continues its operations off the Syrian port of Tartus, accompanied by a frigate and a supply vessel. The cause of the fire remains unclear.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that he was unaware of the fire on the Kildin, downplaying concerns about the vessel's operational readiness. He noted that assessing the Russian fleet based on a single ship's malfunction was unprofessional.
Retired Vice Admiral Michel Olhagaray, a former head of France's center for higher military studies, remarked on the complexities of maintaining Russian naval forces in the Mediterranean, especially given the distance from their primary bases in the Arctic and Baltic Seas. Furthermore, the situation has been exacerbated by the inability of Russian naval vessels to patrol the Mediterranean from the Black Sea Fleet due to Turkish restrictions following the onset of the Ukraine conflict.
The audio recordings acquired from the NATO ship document a 75-second exchange between the Kildin and a Togolese cargo vessel named Milla Moon. The recordings reveal that the Kildin initially identified itself by another name before admitting its true identity and requesting the cargo ship to steer clear. The man’s heavily accented English can be heard stating, "Motor vessel Milla Moon, this is warship on your course. Please hear me." After alerting the Milla Moon to its drifting status, the crew of the cargo ship confirmed they would navigate away, signing off with, "You are welcome. Good watch. Goodbye."
The incident underscores not only the precariousness of Russian military operations in the Mediterranean but also the heightened vigilance of NATO nations regarding Russia's activities in critical maritime zones.
