Russian spy ship off Connecticut sparks call to end Putin 'infatuation' (VIDEO)

The Connecticut Congressman who represents the region of the state containing a key U.S. Navy base blasted the Trump Administration over news that a Russian spy ship was just off shore.

U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, the ranking Dem on the House Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, reacted to the fact the Russian spy vessel, Viktor Leonov (SSV-175) was sailing in international waters just over the horizon from the Connecticut coastline, with a five-minute speech on the House floor on Wednesday.

“A Russian spy ship patrolling 30 miles from the Groton subase underscores that the threats posed by a resurgent Russia are real,” said Courtney in the above video. “This unacceptable, aggressive action, combined with the buzzing of U.S. Navy ships in the Red Sea yesterday are clearly testing the resolve of a new administration. While I have total confidence in our Navy’s vigilant, responsible readiness, the White House needs to move past their seeming infatuation with Putin and treat him like the serious threat to global peace and security that he has been for the last five years.”

Besides the Naval base at Groton, Connecticut-based Electric Boat has been selected by the Navy as the prime contractor for the Navy’s next generation of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines.

The Leonov, believed to be a Vishnya-class signals intelligence vessel, in 2015 was spotted anchored about 22 miles off the Florida coast, southeast of the U.S. Navy’s submarine base at Kings Bay, Georgia as well as in 2014.