Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos expressed serious concerns regarding the presence of a Russian attack submarine, UFA 490, off the coast of the Philippines in the South China Sea.
Kabul 24: The UFA 490 was detected 148 kilometers (92 miles) west of Cape Calavite on Thursday, prompting a swift response from the Philippine military. President Marcos emphasized, “Any intrusion into the West Philippine Sea, of our EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone), of our baselines is very worrisome” 13.
Military Response
In reaction to the sighting, the Philippines dispatched both a plane and a warship to monitor the submarine. The crew reported they were waiting for favorable weather conditions before heading back to Vladivostok, Russia 24.
Official Reactions
Roy Vincent Trinidad, spokesman for the Philippine Navy, downplayed the situation as “not alarming,” but noted that the submarine’s unique characteristics surprised them 13. The UFA 490 is a 74-meter long vessel equipped with a missile system capable of striking targets up to 12,000 kilometers away 24.
Diplomatic Silence
As of now, neither Russia’s embassy in Manila nor the Philippine foreign ministry has commented on this incident 13.
