A Russian submarine unexpectedly surfaced near a French fishing vessel off the coast of Brittany, highlighting ongoing Russian naval activity near Western European waters.
On Saturday, June 28, the crew of the Belenos, a Breton trawler, was fishing off the Côtes-d’Armor when they witnessed a submarine emerging from the water directly in front of their vessel. Stunned, the crew managed to photograph the incident. Upon examining the images, they identified the submersible as belonging to the Russian Navy.
The French Atlantic Maritime Prefecture confirmed the information to regional outlets Ouest-France and Le Marin. According to the Prefecture, the submarine had been tracked for some time. “It was simply in transit and accompanied by a French frigate,” a spokesperson explained, specifying that the vessel was heading south, either towards the Mediterranean Sea or along the African coastline, a route regularly used by Russian naval units.
While the submarine’s surfacing in the English Channel surprised the fishermen, authorities stressed that such occurrences are not unusual. “Generally, Russian submarines do not hide because they are aware we are monitoring their presence,” the Prefecture told 20 Minutes.
Possible Identity: The Novorossiysk?
Although officials did not formally confirm the submarine’s identity, Ouest-France reported strong similarities with the Novorossiysk, a Russian diesel-electric attack submarine. In January 2025, the Novorossiysk was photographed traveling along the French coastline under escort by the French frigate Normandie in the Bay of Biscay.
Maritime outlet Le Marin suggested the submarine could belong to Russia’s widely deployed Kilo-class, known for their conventional diesel-electric propulsion and stealth capabilities.
This latest encounter comes amid increased Russian naval movements near European waters. Just last week, the BBC reported that the Russian corvette Boikiy, armed with guided missiles and machine guns, transited the English Channel under a false identity. The vessel was accompanied by two sanctioned Russian tankers, the Selva and the Sierra, both part of Moscow’s so-called “shadow fleet.”
