Russia no longer has submarines in the Mediterranean

On January 3, a Lockheed P-3C aircraft of the Portuguese Air Force flew over a Russian submarine traveling surfaced in a northerly direction off Cape Finisterre.

Um submarino russo da classe Novorossiysk foi monitorizado ontem pela Força Aérea durante uma missão de patrulhamento destinada a proteger o espaço marítimo sob jurisdição nacional.

Saiba mais em: https://t.co/0TJvnfFEmm pic.twitter.com/f0o95WETxX

— Força Aérea Portuguesa (@fap_pt) January 4, 2025

The submarine in question is the Novorossiysk (B-261), which entered the Mediterranean on September 9 and was based in Tartus, Syria. The loss of the base in Syria might explain the absence of a replacement vessel, which until now had always ensured a continuous Russian submarine presence in the region. This marks the first time in recent years that the Mediterranean, albeit temporarily, is without a Russian submarine. Without a support base, it seems logistically impossible for Moscow to deploy submarines so far from national ports.

Notably, the submarine appears to be navigating alone, without direct support from another Russian unit. This is also unusual, given Russia’s traditional operating procedures.