The frigate 'Álvaro de Bazán', integrated into NATO's Standing Naval Maritime Group 2 (SNMG-2), has tracked and monitored the Russian submarine Krasnodar, of the KILO II class, in the waters of the Eastern Mediterranean, as reported by the Defense Staff in a press release accompanied by two photographs.
The Spanish Navy ship is on a mission as part of NATO's Standing Naval Maritime Group providing a permanent maritime presence of allies in the Mediterranean waters. In this same operation, the 'Álvaro de Bazán' also monitored the tugboat Evgeniy Churov, which accompanied the submarine on its transit to the port of Alexandria (Egypt). Monitoring of the merchant vessel ended when both Russian ships separated to each take a different course.
NATO's permanent maritime presence focuses on key areas in the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Baltic Sea, Northern Flank, Southern Corridor (from the Strait of Hormuz to the Suez Canal), including the coasts of Somalia.
SNMG-2, operating in the Mediterranean waters, forms the core of the "NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force-Maritime" (VJTF-M), within the framework of operation "Noble Shield". This deployment reinforces Spain's commitment to the Alliance, as well as solidarity with the other NATO member countries, thus supporting deterrence and collective defense at sea and from the sea.
Monitoring the Mediterranean is a priority for Spain, the European Union, and NATO, as it is the southern border of both organizations. That is why the Navy currently has deployed in different points of the Mediterranean the aircraft carrier Juan Carlos I, four frigates, a combat supply ship, another Maritime Action Vessel, and since last Friday the submarine Galerna and the frigate Canarias in operation Sea Guardian. All these assets monitor and control the movements of the Russian ships, which encounter the Strait to exit from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic.
Several of these capabilities are part of NATO's permanent naval mission. In addition, five Spanish ships participate in permanent surveillance and deterrence missions in Spanish waters. Although they rotate, one is always dedicated to the African deployment and another in the Gulf of Guinea.
The ships deployed in these missions almost every month have the task of monitoring the activities of Russian ships. Thus, in early January, the frigates Victoria and Blas de Lezo, as well as the Maritime Action Vessel Tornado, monitored Russian ships during their transit through maritime areas of interest to Spain in the Alboran Sea, Gulf of Cadiz, and the Atlantic facade. These maritime security tasks are carried out within the framework of presence, surveillance, and deterrence operations (OPVD).
Specifically, the Tornado monitored the submarine Novorossiysk during its transit from the Eastern Mediterranean to northern Europe. During the mission, the Spanish ship located this Russian naval unit south of the Balearic Islands. Since then, it maintained close monitoring until the submarine reached the Portuguese responsibility area.
Subsequently, the frigate 'Victoria' set sail to locate and monitor the frigate 'Golovko' during its presence in the Alboran Sea, where it was escorting the Russian-flagged merchant ship 'Lady Maria'. During the search, it also sighted the ship 'Altay' during its transit from the Eastern Mediterranean. The 'Altay' is a Russian tanker that acts as a supply ship for Russian units near the Algerian bay of Oran.
Finally, off the maritime border with Portugal, the frigate 'Blas de Lezo' located and monitored the Russian submarine 'Novorossiysk' during its transit northward. After completing its mission, the frigate transferred the monitoring responsibility to a French ship.