In a note released today, that branch of the Armed Forces also indicates that “simultaneously, but in the opposite direction”, the Navy accompanied the logistics ship Ursa Major, along the continent's Exclusive Economic Zone, on Monday and Tuesday, highlighting that it is a vessel known for being involved “in the transport of material and sustainability of the Russian war effort”.

According to the statement, “the Maritime Operations Center coordinated with the Madeira Maritime Zone Command the use of the NRP Zaire, which began monitoring on 20 July [Saturday] and used the NRP Setúbal to monitor the continental EEZ [Exclusive Economic Zone] which ended yesterday, Tuesday”.

“The Navy, through these monitoring and surveillance actions, guarantees the defense and security of maritime spaces under national sovereignty, jurisdiction or responsibility, contributes to the protection of Portugal's interests and its critical infrastructures and, at the same time, ensures compliance with the international commitments assumed within the framework of the Atlantic Alliance”, is also highlighted in the note.

The Chief of Staff of the Portuguese Navy, Admiral Gouveia e Melo, revealed, in an interview published on 15 May, that in the last three years, the number of missions to accompany Russian ships during their passage through Portuguese waters has quadrupled.

“Three years ago, the number of surveillance operations we carried out was less than a dozen per year. Last year alone, we carried out 46, and this year we have carried out 14. These Russian Federation vessels, which may be military or merchant vessels but with known military activity, may transit through our waters in order to go from position A to position B, or they may have interests in our waters. And both things happen simultaneously,” he told Diário de Notícias and TSF.