Russia : Yuri is watching
The Russian Northern Fleet’s intelligence-gathering vessel Yuri Ivanov is loitering in the Norwegian Sea as NATO conducts its anti-submarine warfare exercise, Dynamic Mongoose.
While Russia on Thursday concluded a three-day nuclear weapons exercise involving ballistic and cruise missile launches in the Barents Sea, NATO’s submarine warfare drill is in full swing in the Norwegian Sea.
Maritime patrol aircraft from Canada, France, Germany, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States are taking part in the exercise, supported by surface vessels from Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Portugal.
One additional nation is also present — though not by invitation.
The Yuri Ivanov, a Russian Northern Fleet signals intelligence ship, has been quietly operating in the waters where NATO vessels and submarines are conducting war games. The ship is equipped with advanced electronic surveillance systems designed to gather intelligence, including monitoring radio communications between NATO warships.
The 95-metre spy ship entered service with the Northern Fleet in 2015. It has a crew of 120 and is based near Severomorsk. A sister vessel serving with the Black Sea Fleet, the Ivan Khurs, was struck by a Ukrainian drone in May 2023.
NATO Maritime Command posted photographs of the Yuri Ivanov on its Facebook page on 21 May. The images show the Russian vessel being monitored by the Portuguese frigate NRP Francisco de Almeida. Another photograph shows a British Royal Navy Merlin Mk2 helicopter from HMS Prince of Wales flying over the Russian spy ship.
“We. Are. Watching,” the NATO social media post stated.
Russian air and navy activities off the coast of Norway have increased in recent weeks.
“We have seen increasing Russian activity in the north. Our fighter aircraft on NATO standby have been identifying Russian surveillance planes heading out into the Norwegian Sea on a daily basis. It is happening more frequently than usual,” Vice Admiral Rune Andersen, head of the Norwegian Joint Headquarters (NJHQ), told the newspaper VG earlier in May.
Exercise Dynamic Mongoose is designed to train NATO naval forces in anti-submarine warfare and ensure they are prepared to detect, deter and respond to underwater threats. Although NATO describes the exercise as taking place in “the Arctic and High North”, most of the activity is occurring in the Norwegian Sea along the Norwegian coastline, both north and south of Trondheim — well south of the Arctic Circle.
NATO said the integration of air, surface and subsurface assets “creates a highly demanding and realistic training environment.”
In February 2026, NATO launched Arctic Sentry, a military activity that further strengthens its deterrence and defence across the region.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Canada, U.S. and Finland form pact to build icebreakers for Arctic, CBC News
Russia: UK sanctions halt floating repair dock for Russia’s nuclear icebreaker fleet, The Independent Barents Observer
Denmark: Denmark, Greenland agree to build naval wharf in Nuuk amid growing Arctic focus, Eye on the Arctic
Finland: Finland pushes EU drone wall as northern countries’ security investments expand, Eye on the Arctic
Iceland: Europe’s Von der Leyen strengthens Arctic security ties with Iceland during visit, Eye on the Arctic
