Rutte mocks Russian submarine limping home from patrol

On Monday, October 13, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte mocked Russia over the "lame" condition of one of its submarines. His words are quoted by Reuters.

Russia's Black Sea Fleet reports that the Novorossiysk diesel submarine surfaced off the coast of France, ostensibly to comply with English Channel navigation rules, and denies reports that it suffered a serious malfunction.

However, Dutch authorities reported over the weekend that the submarine was under tow in the North Sea. And Rutte, speaking in Slovenia, said that the ship was "broken".

"Now, in fact, there is almost no Russian naval presence left in the Mediterranean. There is a lonely and broken Russian submarine limping home from patrol," said the Alliance's Secretary General.

Rutte mentioned the novel The Hunt for Red October by American author Tom Clancy. The novel is based on a fictionalized story of a Soviet nuclear submarine being hijacked by its own crew in order to escape to the United States.

"What a change from Tom Clancy's 1984 novel The Hunt for Red October. Today it's more like looking for the nearest mechanic," the official joked.

On October 9, NATO's Maritime Command reported that a Russian submarine had surfaced off the coast of France. In response to the incident, the Alliance declared its readiness to defend itself.

• In August, the GUR released information about the K-555 Knyaz Pozharsky strategic nuclear submarine.
• Seoul claims that North Korea may have received technical assistance from Russia to develop its submarine fleet.