Nato sends clear message Russian submarine has surfaced off the French coast

A Russian submarine has surfaced off the coast of France - discovered by a French frigate as part of a NATO mission. The alliance responded with an unmistakable message to Moscow.

Nato has spotted a Russian submarine that has surfaced off the French Atlantic coast. According to the Nato Maritime Command (Marcom), the vessel was discovered by a French frigate during routine surveillance in the alliance's waters.

"We. Watch. Watch. A French frigate has detected a Russian submarine during surveillance in NATO waters. NATO is ready to defend our alliance with constant vigilance and maritime vigilance across the Atlantic," read an official post by the Marcom on the X platform (formerly Twitter).

Submarine already known in Europe

As reported by the British trade magazine "UK Defense Journal", the submarine is said to be the "Novorossiysk" (B-261). The ship belongs to the Improved Kilo II class and is part of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. It can dive to depths of up to 300 meters, measures 74 meters in length and has six torpedo tubes from which torpedoes, mines or missiles can be launched.

The "Novorossiysk" had already operated in the Mediterranean in 2015, docking in the Spanish port of Ceuta as part of Russia's support for Syria.

In September 2025, Russian sources reported on social media that the submarine may have suffered a diesel leak. It is not yet clear whether there is a connection with the recent surfacing off Brittany. It also remains unclear why the ship was so far away from its regular area of operation.

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There have also been repeated tensions between Russia and NATO states in recent weeks. It was only at the weekend that an incident on the Russian-Estonian border became known in which, according to Estonian media, Russian soldiers briefly entered Nato territory.