Following a request from the Irish government to move the operations, Russia will not undertake naval maneuvers in international waters in the Irish Sea next week, according to Moscow’s envoy to Ireland on Saturday.

Last week, Ireland was informed that the drills would take place around 240 kilometers off the south west coast of Ireland, within its exclusive economic zone but outside its territorial seas, indicating that they were legal under international law.

The preparations, according to Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, are not welcome, especially at a time when the US and other western allies believe Russia is ready to attack Ukraine after amassing more than 100,000 troops along its borders.

Russia, which denies it is planning any invasion of its neighbor, decided to relocate the naval exercises as a “gesture of goodwill” to Dublin and Irish fishing groups, Ambassador Yury Filatov said in a statement.

Coveney said on Twitter that he welcomed the response.

Some Irish fishermen had said they planned to fish in the area close to where the Russian military exercises were due to take place in protest.