One official, he reports, says that "a Russian electronic intelligence-gathering vessel was granted safe harbor" not far away in the commercial port of Jacksonville, Florida, which would still put it within listening range of any operations keeping from Kings Bay.
"While I can't talk about how we detected it, I can tell you that things worked the way they were supposed to," the official says, adding that the Russian submarine "poses no threat whatsoever."
Additionally, a US aircraft carrier strike group was reportedly conducted exercises in the Atlantic when the Russian vehicle was observed, but it did not at any time threaten American operations.
Gertz says the Akula-sub likely served as an "Auxiliary-General Intelligence," or AGI vehicle, and cites another defense official as saying the entire things seems "reminiscent of Cold War activities" of the Soviet navy conducting spy operations on American ballistic missile submarines.
Less than a year ago, Russian Navy Commander Adm. Vladimir Vysotsky was quoted in the Geostrategy Direct newsletter as saying, "On June 1 or a bit later we will resume constant patrolling of the world's oceans by strategic nuclear submarines."