After reports of technical problems with the Russian nuclear submarine "Novorossiysk", NATO Secretary General allowed himself to joke, characterizing the Russian Navy submarine as "lonely" and "broken", "barely dragging itself" on patrol.
UNN reports with reference to BBC and Euronews.
Details
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte mocked the state of the Russian fleet after reports of alleged technical problems with the submarine "Novorossiysk", indicating that the vessel with malfunctions was "limping" home.
Today, in essence, there is practically no Russian naval presence in the Mediterranean Sea. There is only a lonely, broken Russian submarine that is limping home after a patrol.
The statement was made during the official's speech on Monday in Slovenia, at the annual meeting of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
Rutte added:
How times change. Once, in 1984, there was the novel "The Hunt for Red October", today it's more like "The Hunt for the Next Mechanic."
Context
Recently, the Russian Navy reported that the submarine "Novorossiysk" surfaced off the coast of France to comply with navigation rules in the English Channel. There, the submarine was accompanied by a British warship and helicopter.
It was reported that there was a fuel leak on the submarine "Novorossiysk".
On Saturday, Dutch authorities confirmed that the Russian Navy submarine was under tow in the North Sea.
Addition
In a message posted on Thursday on the X channel, NATO's naval command reported observing the submarine.
NATO is ready to defend the Alliance, maintaining constant vigilance and control of the sea across the Atlantic.
Recall
Ukraine's military intelligence previously obtained the full scope of internal classified documentation regarding Russia's newest strategic nuclear submarine - K-555 "Knyaz Pozharsky" of project 955A "Borey-A". The relevant information was announced by the GUR press service in August 2025.