NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte poked fun at Russia’s navy on Monday, comparing one of its submarines to “a broken vessel limping home,” after Moscow denied reports that the craft surfaced due to mechanical failure.
The incident involved the Novorossiysk, a diesel-powered Kilo-class submarine belonging to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, which surfaced off the coast of France last week. Moscow claimed the move was a standard procedure under international navigation rules for submarines transiting the English Channel, not an emergency.
However, reports from Dutch authorities over the weekend suggested the submarine had been under tow in the North Sea, prompting speculation of serious technical problems.
“From Red October to a mechanic’s visit”
Speaking in Slovenia, Rutte quipped: “What a change from the 1984 Tom Clancy novel The Hunt for Red October. Today, it seems more like the hunt for the nearest mechanic.” The NATO chief went on to say there was “hardly any Russian naval presence left in the Mediterranean,” underscoring the alliance’s assessment of Moscow’s diminished naval strength.
A troubled journey home
According to a Telegram channel known as VChK-OGPU, which regularly posts alleged Russian security leaks, the Novorossiysk suffered a fuel leak while passing through the Strait of Gibraltar in late September, raising fears of an onboard explosion.
The Royal Navy said it tracked the surfaced submarine and its support tug over three days, from 7 to 9 October, as they made their way from the Mediterranean to the North Sea. The British warship HMS Iron Duke, along with a Royal Navy helicopter, monitored the vessel’s passage as part of a coordinated NATO surveillance mission.
The Dutch Navy later escorted the submarine and towing ship through its waters, the Dutch defence ministry confirmed on Saturday.
Moscow denies malfunction claims
In a statement on Monday, the Russian Black Sea Fleet rejected Western media reports of a malfunction, insisting the Novorossiysk was on a “scheduled inter-fleet transit.” The fleet said that, under international maritime rules, submarines must remain on the surface when crossing the Channel.
The fleet also stressed that the Novorossiysk remains part of a group of submarines equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles, a key component of Russia’s long-range strike capability.
Rising NATO vigilance
The incident comes just two weeks after the Royal Navy shadowed a Russian frigate and cargo vessel through the same waters. UK Armed Forces Minister Al Carns said the latest mission “shows how the UK stands strong with our NATO allies to push back against Russian aggression.”
