President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has voiced serious concerns about the reported presence of a Russian submarine within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea.

The submarine was reportedly detected surfacing last week, raising questions about maritime security in the region. The incident has drawn attention to ongoing geopolitical tensions in the South China Sea, where overlapping territorial claims often lead to disputes.While Manila's security sources have confirmed the sighting, neither the Russian embassy nor the Philippine Navy has provided any comments or additional details regarding the incident.

This development adds to the growing complexities in the South China Sea, where the Philippines continues to safeguard its sovereignty amid increasing foreign activity.

"That's very concerning. Any intrusion into the West Philippine Sea, of our EEZ, of our baselines is very worrisome. Yes, it's just another one," Marcos said during an interaction with reporters.

The Philippine military has been tasked with addressing the matter, according to Marcos.

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, confirmed that the Russian submarine was identified as the Ufa, a vessel from the Russian Navy.

The submarine was first detected 80 nautical miles west of Occidental Mindoro on November 28 after reportedly traveling from Malaysia. In response, the Philippine Navy deployed an aircraft and a warship to monitor its movements closely.

While the Ufa did not submerge, it slowly traveled northward, staying outside Philippine territorial waters through the weekend, according to Navy officials.

This incident comes amid ongoing tensions in the region. China and Russia, who declared a "no limits" partnership during a 2022 meeting between their leaders, have been engaging in joint military activities, including live-fire naval exercises in the South China Sea earlier this year.

The situation further intensifies the strained relationship between Manila and Beijing over conflicting claims in the South China Sea. A 2016 international tribunal ruling invalidated China's historical claims in the disputed waters, a decision that Beijing continues to reject.

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