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| Russian Submarine in West Philippine Sea |
A Russian submarine was reportedly spotted 80 nautical miles west of Occidental Mindoro within the West Philippine Sea (WPS), a critical area of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ). President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. described the event as "very worrisome," emphasizing concerns over any unauthorized foreign presence in Philippine waters. The sighting occurred on November 28 and involved the Russian Navy's attack submarine Ufa, which prompted the Philippine Navy to deploy an aircraft and a warship for monitoring.
The incident adds to escalating tensions in the South China Sea, where territorial disputes are already intense, particularly involving China’s maritime activities. President Marcos refrained from detailing potential governmental responses, deferring to military deliberations for addressing this emerging issue. Experts speculate that such intrusions, coupled with China's operations in the area, underline increasing regional maritime pressures