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| Russian warships drive away Dutch submarine tailing fleet in Mediterranean | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Russian warships in the eastern Mediterranean Sea drove away a Dutch submarine shadowing the squadron, the Russian military has said. | Russian warships in the eastern Mediterranean Sea drove away a Dutch submarine shadowing the squadron, the Russian military has said. |
| Russian defence ministry spokesman Maj Gen Igor Konashenkov said two navy destroyers spotted the Walrus-class submarine on Wednesday while it was 20km (11 nautical miles) away from the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier and its escorting ships. | |
| The destroyers had tracked the submarine for more than an hour, using anti-submarine helicopters, before forcing it to leave the area, Konashenkov said. He did not elaborate how the warships prompted the submarine to leave. | |
| The spokesman added that such “clumsy” attempts to manoeuvre close to the Russian squadron could have resulted in an accident. | The spokesman added that such “clumsy” attempts to manoeuvre close to the Russian squadron could have resulted in an accident. |
| Konashenkov said the Russian squadron had previously spotted several Nato submarines, including a US Virginia-class nuclear submarine, while en route to eastern Mediterranean waters. | Konashenkov said the Russian squadron had previously spotted several Nato submarines, including a US Virginia-class nuclear submarine, while en route to eastern Mediterranean waters. |
| A Nato official said the alliance’s navies have been monitoring the Russian fleet in recent weeks in a “measured and responsible way, as is customary”. He refused to elaborate on how Nato was doing that. | A Nato official said the alliance’s navies have been monitoring the Russian fleet in recent weeks in a “measured and responsible way, as is customary”. He refused to elaborate on how Nato was doing that. |
| In a tweet, the Dutch defence ministry said it does not comment on operations conducted by its submarines. | In a tweet, the Dutch defence ministry said it does not comment on operations conducted by its submarines. |
| The Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier is being accompanied by the nuclear-powered Peter the Great missile cruiser and several other ships on a mission to Syria’s shores, the Russian navy’s largest deployment since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. | The Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier is being accompanied by the nuclear-powered Peter the Great missile cruiser and several other ships on a mission to Syria’s shores, the Russian navy’s largest deployment since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. |
| Nato has expressed concern, saying the move could presage an increase in the number of Russian air raids in Syria, particularly around the besieged city of Aleppo. | Nato has expressed concern, saying the move could presage an increase in the number of Russian air raids in Syria, particularly around the besieged city of Aleppo. |