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On the surface, Yantar appears to be an ordinary blue and white research vessel. However, beneath this facade lies a heavily armed platform equipped with sophisticated surveillance technology, submersibles, and divers capable of operating at extraordinary depths. Its primary mission is reportedly to map, monitor, and potentially sabotage the intricate web of undersea cables vital for Europe's digital, energy, and communication infrastructure.
Satellite radar data, analyzed by the Financial Times, tracked Yantar as it maneuvered through European waters last year. The vessel has shown suspicious behavior—shutting off its location signals and lingering over chokepoints where critical data and energy cables intersect, particularly in the Irish Sea, near vital Irish and UK connections.