According to reports, RUSSIA has sailed a nuclear submarine outfitted with cruise missiles into the Mediterranean in preparation for a NATO battle over Ukraine.
In the waters off the coast of Italy, Vladimir Putin’s deadly submarine appeared to be playing cat and mouse with NATO forces.
Expert on submarines H.I. Sutton claims that open source intelligence indicates that Russia has deployed the sub as tensions with the West over the Ukraine crisis rise.
The Severodvinsk submarine, regarded to be the most potent in Russia, may be the object.
Up to 40 nuclear-tipped Kalibr land-attack cruise missiles with a range of 1,600 miles can be carried by Severodvinsk.
The sub, which Russian media claims has unrivalled stealth technology, active anti-torpedo defences, and anti-air capability, is the most sophisticated weapon in the Russian arsenal.
According to reports, the ship was sent to the Mediterranean to take the place of the Slava class cruiser Marshal Ustinov, which departed on August 24.
The sub’s presence in the vicinity is unknown as of this moment.
It has been suggested that the submarine may have entered the Mediterranean while Ustinov was acting provocatively in waters close to the UK.
Russian warships were reportedly being followed by the Royal Navy earlier this week near the coast of Ireland.
The ships are thought to have supported the Ukraine battle, according to Navy sources.
Uncertain of the vessels’ next course, insiders claimed they were “making a statement” to Britain that they were nearby, according to The Times.
“The Russians have every right to do this but it’s obviously posturing and a return to more aggressive Cold War behaviour by them,” said Ryan Ramsey, a former nuclear submarine captain and commander.
“This might be part of Putin’s strategy of pushing Nato in every environment.
“Within this group there will be a Russian hunter-killer but she won’t enter the Irish Sea because the tidal stream currents would make it too dangerous.”
The current route up the Irish Sea was called “cause for alarm” by Ramsey.
Since its invasion of Ukraine in February, Russia has increased its naval activity in the Mediterranean.
Russian destroyers, frigates, and submarines have increased in number, if not by a factor of three, according to Thibault Lavernhe, regional communication officer of the French army in the Mediterranean.
“Ukraine has impacted the world. America has returned. Since the end of the Cold War, this hasn’t happened “he stated.
Given that 65% of EU energy supplies transit through the Mediterranean, the region is crucial to global economic strategy.
Levernhe reported that there were perhaps 20 Russian warships active in the area’s waterways back in April.
The initial Russian shipbuilding began when Moscow started sending warships to Tartus, the Russian navy’s only repair and refuelling base in the Mediterranean, during the Syrian Civil War.
However, military observers claim that Russia’s involvement has grown dramatically as a result of the conflict in Ukraine.
Lavernhe said: “Where there are American forces, the Russians are there too.
“Russian ships are positioned to monitor the activity of allied forces.”
