NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte mocked the problems of the Russian navy on Monday, joking about a “broken” submarine that recently surfaced off the coast of France. He contrasted the moment with depictions of Soviet power during the Cold War. The Russian navy, however, denied media claims that the diesel submarine Novorossiysk was forced to surface due to a breakdown.
According to the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the submarine entered the English Channel in strict accordance with international navigation rules, accompanied by a support tug and monitored by NATO forces. The fleet called as “false” claims that the submarine had an emergency breakdown near France, and described its movement as “planned inter-submarine transit” following operations in the Mediterranean.
Western media, however, reported different information. The Dutch Ministry of Defense said that the Novorossiysk was under tow in the North Sea, escorted by the Dutch Navy after being tracked by the British Royal Navy between October 7 and 9. France also monitored the submarine during its passage.
Speaking at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Slovenia, Rutte joked: “What a change from Tom Clancy’s 1984 novel ‘The Hunt for Red October’. Today it looks more like a hunt for the nearest mechanic.” He added that the damaged submarine symbolized the current state of the Russian navy and noted that “there is almost no Russian naval presence in the Mediterranean.”
Rutte also commented on the recent violations of NATO airspace by Russian planes and drones. He said that the alliance's decision not to shoot down Russian planes on several occasions reflected NATO's military superiority, not fear."We are much stronger than the Russians. We should not shoot down Russian planes unless they pose a threat. If that happens, we have the right to take extreme measures," he said.
The Secretary General stressed that NATO’s responses remain “proportionate,” intervening only when absolutely necessary, such as when it downed a Russian drone that violated Polish airspace in September. That same month, three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace, prompting diplomatic protests but no military response.
Following these violations, NATO member states have stepped up patrols on the eastern flank and are discussing building a “drone wall” to better monitor Russian activity. Germany plans to purchase over 600 Skyranger short-range anti-drone systems after drone sightings temporarily blocked Munich airport.
