NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Monday mocked Russia’s naval troubles, joking that Moscow’s “broken” submarine looked more like it was “hunting for the nearest mechanic” than a threat at sea.
Rutte’s remarks followed reports that the Russian submarine Novorossiysk surfaced off the French coast due to technical problems while being shadowed by a UK warship and helicopter. Dutch authorities earlier said the sub was being towed in the North Sea.
However, Russia’s Black Sea Fleet denied any malfunction, claiming the diesel-electric Kilo-class submarine surfaced only to comply with international navigation rules in the English Channel.
The Novorossiysk, which carries Kalibr cruise missiles, was returning from a Mediterranean deployment when it was tracked for three days by the Royal Navy’s HMS Iron Duke before being escorted by the Dutch navy.
The episode comes amid dwindling Russian naval presence in the Mediterranean and follows recent UK operations monitoring Russian warships through the Channel.
Armed Forces Minister Al Carns said the mission showed “the UK stands firm with NATO allies against Russian aggression.”
