After years of watching Joe Biden fold under pressure, Vladimir Putin appears convinced he can continue pushing the limits without fear. Four years of meandering foreign policy gave the Kremlin exactly what it wanted — an America that hesitates, second-guesses, and avoids confrontation. Now Putin is probing whether the United States under President Trump is ready to reestablish consequences.
This week, a Russian intelligence vessel lurking near Hawaii put that question front and center.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, a Soviet-era reconnaissance ship — the Kareliya — was detected “15 nautical miles south of Oahu” on October 29. That’s barely beyond the 12-mile territorial boundary and well within surveillance range of some of America’s most strategically valuable military facilities.
The same vessel has been hanging around the region for weeks, recently spotted just 17 miles off the Big Island. This isn’t innocent passage. This is targeted reconnaissance — and it’s a reminder of how emboldened Moscow became during Biden’s presidency.
Putin doesn’t send spy ships across the Pacific because he’s curious. He sends them because the last administration conditioned him to expect no consequences.
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