The Spanish Navy patrol vessel Tagomago (P-22) has been deployed as part of the Presence, Surveillance, and Deterrence Operation (OPVD), carrying out tracking and monitoring tasks in recent weeks during April on the Russian signals intelligence (SIGINT) ship Viktor Leonov (SSV-175), during its transit through the waters of the Strait of Gibraltar. This deployment takes place in the context of rising tensions between NATO and Russia in maritime areas of strategic value.
Presence, surveillance, and deterrence operations constitute a fundamental tool for ensuring security in sovereign spaces and areas of national interest. Under the responsibility of the Maritime Operational Command, the Anaga-class patrol vessel Tagomago has been assigned to execute maritime security missions and protect national interests, in coordination with the strategic guidelines of Spanish defense.
Among the permanent functions of these patrol vessels are the verification and control of naval traffic, with the objective of ensuring freedom of navigation and maintaining a deterrent presence in critical waters. According to the Spanish Joint Defence Staff (EMAD), the Tagomago has been carrying out tracking and intelligence duties over the past week on four support units of the Russian Navy, although no additional details have been provided about the vessels involved.
In the naval geopolitical board, the Strait of Gibraltar remains a critical square. Although its status as an international waterway guarantees the free passage of ships, the presence of four Russian units in the area could be interpreted as calculated pressure toward the West. The mission of Spanish patrol vessels like the Tagomago is to ensure that Russian intelligence activities do not exceed acceptable limits while protecting a vital corridor for Euro-Atlantic security.
Through photographs published by EMAD, it has been confirmed that one of these vessels is the Viktor Leonov (SSV-175), a signals intelligence ship that regularly operates in the Mediterranean and North Atlantic. Based at the Severomorsk Naval Base and part of the Northern Fleet, its current deployment is speculated to be linked to support operations in Syria — where Russia maintains the Tartus naval base — or even in the North Atlantic, where Moscow monitors NATO activities.
The Viktor Leonov is designed to intercept military communications, monitor missile launches, disrupt enemy electronic systems, and collect signals intelligence. The vessel is part of the so-called “Vishnya” class (Project 864), deployed at key points to monitor the movements of U.S. and NATO fleets.
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