Fox News and the Washington Free Beacon reported the presence of a top Russian spy ship off the coast of Kings Bay, Georgia and is capable of cutting undersea cables.
The Pentagon responded to the media reports that it was closely being monitored by defense agencies but declined to give a location of the Russian vessel.
"The U.S. intelligence ships, aircraft and satellites are closely watching the Russian military vessel in the Atlantic that has been sailing near a U.S. nuclear missile submarine base and underwater transit routes," say Pentagon officials.
The Russian research ship Yantar has been tracked from the northern Atlantic near Canada since late August as it makes its way south toward Cuba.
Despite the fact that it’s moving through international waters, the Yantar is being monitored by US Navy ships, aircraft, and even reconnaissance satellites.
According to Sputnik, last May, the Russian Navy christened its latest oceanographic research vessel. Built for deep sea research and rescue operations, it’s currently conducting operations in the Atlantic Ocean.
"The Yantar is equipped with a unique on-board scientific research complex which enables it to collect data on the ocean environment, both in motion and on hold," said Alexei Burilichev, head of the deepwater research department at the Russian Defense Ministry. "There are no similar complexes anywhere."
But despite the Yantar’s peaceful purpose, its presence has put the US military on high-alert.
At the U.S. sub base in Georgia, there are six Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines, known as “boomers,” each capable of firing 24 Trident intercontinental ballistic missiles. Each missile holds up to 10 independent nuclear warheads.
In addition to the ballistic missile subs, there are two other guided-missile subs capable of firing hundreds of Tomahawk cruise missiles.
