War in Ukraine: it has left the Mediterranean and is heading towards Brittany, the Russian attack submarine Novorossiysk spotted near the French coast

This Friday, the Portuguese army reported a Russian submarine “in its exclusive economic zone”. This is the Novorossiyska diesel and electric powered attack submarine.

The operation consisted of strengthening security and surveillance of the area. The submarine, heading towards Cape Finisterre and therefore the France.

Already spotted

On September 2, the submarine was observed in the opposite direction, probably heading towards the Mediterranean. The craft would have headed towards the Syrian port of Tartous, where there is a major Russian base, to relieve another submarine, the B-588 Ufa, which needed maintenance. But since the fall of his ally Bachar al-AssadRussia is gradually leaving Syria.

It is common for Russian military ships to be spotted in French waters. In October 2023, the Novorossiysk had already been detected off the coast of Brittany. The following year, it was the B-265 Krasnodar which took the opposite route.