Overview
- HMS Iron Duke and its Wildcat helicopter shadowed the Kilo-class Novorossiysk from October 7–9 before handing tracking to Dutch and Belgian ships in a coordinated NATO operation.
- The Dutch defense ministry said its navy escorted the submarine in the North Sea alongside the tug Yakov Grebelsky, prompting suggestions it may have been under tow, which remain unconfirmed.
- NATO Maritime Command published photos on October 9 showing a French frigate monitoring the surfaced vessel off Brittany as it moved toward the English Channel.
- Russia’s Black Sea Fleet dismissed reports of a breakdown, saying the transit was scheduled and that surfacing in the English Channel complied with international navigation rules.
- Mark Rutte’s “broken… limping home” quip underscored allied messaging about Russian logistical constraints and a reduced Mediterranean presence, while Telegram-based fuel-leak claims have not been verified.