Unclear if real-life 'Red October' Russian sub to be escorted when passing Estonian waters
A Russian submarine forced by technical issues to sail out of the Mediterranean last month has reached the Baltic Sea, though it is not clear exactly where, or whether it will be escorted as it passes Estonian waters.
The Novorossiysk, a 10-year-old diesel-electric sub with a crew of just over 50, reportedly encountered malfunctions in late September, but was unable to head to the naval base of the same name, due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Consequently, the submarine has to sail round the West European coastline and into the Baltic, ultimately to reach Kronstadt, an island base just west of St. Petersburg.
Russia's defense ministry has downplayed the incident, calling it a "transfer between fleets," though NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte noted the decline in Russia's Mediterranean naval presence.
"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," Rutte quipped in a speech he made in Slovenia, adding the "broken" vessel was "limping" home and that there is "hardly any Russian naval presence in the Mediterranean left".
Former Estonian Navy commander Jüri Saska told "Aktuaalne kaamera" the main issue is that, as a diesel-electric vessel, the sub's position is easier to detect when sailing at surface level.
"If a submarine of the enemy is on the surface, that's a good sign. If it's not underwater, we know where it is. When it's submerged, that's when it becomes a much bigger problem. So there's no need to worry too much when it's on the surface," Saska said.
The Novorossiysk had been moving at surface level when passing through the English Channel, when it was escorted by vessels from the navies of France and Belgium, and has been observed by the U.K.'s Royal Navy.
On entering the Baltic on Wednesday, via the Great Belt Strait off the coast of Denmark, it was escorted by a Swedish warship and fighter jets, "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported.
ERR was unable to obtain information from the Estonian Navy on Thursday about how far the submarine had progressed since then, however, and whether it would also be escorted as it passes Estonia and Finland, as it must do to reach Kronstadt.
The Novorossiysk was laid down in 2014, has a crew of 52 and can remain submerged for up to 45 days. It had been assigned to the Black Sea Fleet, and was passing the Strait of Gibraltar when it apparently encountered technical problems at the end of last month.
Russia's defense ministry has denied a malfunction had affected the sub, stating international safety regulations mean it must sail on the surface when passing through the English Channel, for instance.
The case highlights Russia's declining presence in the Mediterranean region, not only as a result of its invasion of Ukraine but also after losing its base at Tartus, Syria, following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad late last year. The Russian Navy also has restrictions on movement through the Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits, both part of the territory of NATO member state Turkey.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Johanna Alvin
Source: 'Aktuaalne kaamera,' reporter Hanneli Rudi.
