On the East coast of the United States, “Viktor Leonov”, a reconnaissance ship of the Russian Navy has been sighted. This was reported on January 22, by CNN with reference to sources in the US Department of Defense.
According to representatives of the Ministry of Defense, Viktor Leonov is in international waters. It was seen about 160 kilometers southeast of Wilmington (North Carolina).
As clarified by CNN, a few days ago the ship left the capital of the Caribbean state of Trinidad and Tobago – and then went north. The course of the ship is unknown, but Victor Leonov has already cruised along the United States East Coast in the past, where the US Navy bases are located in Kings Bay, Georgia, and in Norfolk, Virginia.
The last time Viktor Leonov was seen off the East coast of the USA was in March 2017. The vessel is intended for studying the parameters of sonars, and the interception of radio communications. This class (project 864) represents the third generation of ships that were developed in the USSR in the 1980s.