The operation to remove the submarine, which was discovered during exercises in the Pacific Fleet in the area of Urun Island, took about three hours. According to preliminary data, the ship belongs to the USA. This was announced on Monday, February 14, by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu at a meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
"As a result of the work of the Pacific Fleet group, during the testing of one of the parts of the exercises in the Kuril Islands, Urup Island, a submarine was discovered — most likely the United States," Shoigu said.
At the meeting, Shoigu also reported to Putin that the submarine had invaded the territorial waters of Russia to a depth of 4 km. In addition, the Russian side had to use three special actions to expel a foreign submarine. Shoigu called the invasion of Russian waters by a foreign submarine unreasonable and incomprehensible.
An American Virginia-class submarine entered the territorial waters of Russia on February 12. She ignored the demands to leave Russian waters, in connection with which the frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov used special means. After that, the submarine left the territorial waters of the Russian Federation at maximum speed.
According to Izvestia, the crew of the submarine tried to monitor the exercises of the Pacific Fleet. However, the American submarine was discovered even before it started the task. On the same day, the Russian Defense Ministry handed a note to the US military attache. It was stated that the actions of the American submarine are regarded as a gross violation of international law.
On February 13, the Pentagon denied information about the presence of a US Navy submarine in the territorial waters of Russia near the Kuril Islands. At the same time, on the same day, the US Department of Defense confirmed that it was aware of the situation with the American nuclear submarine in this region.
