The Russian submarine was tracking an aircraft carrier strike group of the British Royal Navy in the Mediterranean, according to the Daily Telegraph.
The incident happened four days after the incident with the British destroyer Defender off the coast of Crimea. The publication assumes that we are talking about a diesel-electric submarine of the Russian Black Sea Fleet of the Kilo class (as NATO calls the Russian submarines of projects 877 and 636 “Varshavyanka”. – Ed.).
According to the publication, when the compound passed through the Eastern Mediterranean, Merlin Mk2 helicopters were raised in search of the submarine. They dropped sonar buoys, equipment designed to dive underwater to locate a submarine, believing it was tracking the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.
One of the helicopters was taken into the air directly from the aircraft carrier, the second from the support vessel Fort Victoria. At the same time, it is not known whether the American destroyer USS The Sullivans or the Dutch frigate HNLMS Evertsen took part in this operation.
The British Ministry of Defense declined to confirm information about the incident, but said that “decisive measures” were being taken to protect the strike group.
The Russian Defense Ministry has not yet commented on the information.
Earlier, the Russian military reported that the fifth generation F-35 fighter from the aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth monitored the maneuvers of ships and aircraft of the Russian Navy in the Mediterranean Sea.
On June 23, the British destroyer Defender crossed the Russian border near Cape Fiolent in Crimea. The Russian border ship, after repeated warnings, carried out warning firing, and the Su-24M aircraft carried out “warning bombing” along the course of the vessel’s movement.
The British Ministry of Defense and the government office said that the ship “made a peaceful passage through the territorial waters of Ukraine and no one fired at it,” and Russia was conducting “exercises.”
However, a journalist on board the destroyer confirmed that he deliberately crossed the border.
President Vladimir Putin called the actions of Great Britain a provocation and a manifestation of disrespect for the choice of the Crimeans. At the same time, he expressed confidence that even if the Russian sailors had sunk the destroyer, it would not have provoked a full-scale conflict, since the West understands that they cannot emerge victorious from such a confrontation.