Navy

Russian Navy 'Chases Off Dutch Sub'

Russian warships in the eastern Mediterranean Sea have driven away a Dutch submarine shadowing the squadron, the military said.

Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said two Russian navy destroyers spotted the Walrus-class submarine on Wednesday while it was 11 nautical miles away from the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier and its escorting ships.

The Severomorsk and Vice-Admiral Kulakov destroyers had tracked the submarine for more than an hour, using anti-submarine helicopters, before forcing it to leave the area, he said.

A Dutch Walrus-class sub (left), the Admiral Kuznetsov (middle) and Vice-Admiral Kulakov (right)

The spokesman added that such "clumsy" attempts to manoeuvre close to the Russian squadron could have resulted in an accident.

Major General Konashenkov said the two anti-submarine ships, had "easily identified the submarine 20km away using the standard onboard hydro-acoustics systems and data obtained from anti-submarine helicopters".

Dutch marine expert Jaime Karreman told Dutch TV the incident was unprecedented if true. He said:

"It's pretty shocking that a submarine on a secret mission is discovered."

There was no official reaction from the Dutch military, although Defence Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said she thought it best "not to go along with the Russian rhetoric".

Major General Konashenkov, meanwhile, added that the Russian squadron had previously spotted several NATO submarines, including a US Virginia-class nuclear sub, while en route to eastern Mediterranean waters.

A NATO official said the alliance's navies have been monitoring the Russian fleet in recent weeks in a "measured and responsible way, as is customary".

He refused to elaborate on how it had been doing that.

The Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier is being accompanied by the nuclear-powered Peter the Great missile cruiser and several other ships on a mission to Syria's shores, the Russian Navy's largest deployment since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.

Russian Ministry of Defence footage of Peter the Great (Pyotr Velikiy), which is currently escorting the Admiral Kuznetsov

NATO has expressed concern, saying the move could presage an increase in the number of Russian air raids in Syria, particularly around the besieged city of Aleppo.

Cover image a file photo of a Dutch Walrus-class sub. With thanks to Koninklijke Marine and Brian Burnell for photography.