Paris:  Moscow has rejected reports that one of its submarines experienced a technical malfunction after being spotted operating on the surface off the coast of France last week. The Russian Defence Ministry insisted the vessel’s appearance was part of a routine transit, following international navigation rules.

The submarine, identified by Western defense sources as the Novorossiysk, was photographed by NATO’s Maritime Command while being monitored by a French navy frigate near the Brittany coastline. The sighting prompted widespread speculation after online reports claimed the diesel-powered vessel surfaced due to a serious fuel leak inside its hull.

A Telegram channel known for leaking Russian military information alleged that the Novorossiysk suffered a fuel leak in late September, forcing its crew to bring the vessel to the surface for safety reasons. Russian state news agency TASS, however, quoted the Black Sea Fleet denying those claims, stating the submarine was completing an authorized voyage from the Mediterranean through the English Channel.

NATO officials confirmed that the alliance had tracked the submarine during its movement through European waters, posting photos with the caption “We are watching.” French and allied naval forces maintained surveillance throughout the incident but did not report any confrontation.

Defense analysts note that the Novorossiysk, commissioned in 2014, is part of Russia’s advanced Kilo-class submarine fleet equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles. The submarine’s presence in the busy maritime zone near France reflects Moscow’s continued effort to project its naval capabilities in European waters, even as maintenance challenges and stretched resources affect its fleet.

While the Russian government maintains that the surfacing was entirely routine, NATO observers view the incident as part of a broader pattern of assertive maritime activity amid rising tensions between Russia and Western allies.

For now, neither NATO nor the French Navy has indicated that the submarine violated international law, but both have reinforced maritime monitoring in the region. Analysts believe the event underscores the fragile state of East–West military relations as both sides test each other’s readiness in increasingly contested waters.