Russian Nuclear Subs Patrolling U.S. East Coast
Russia confirms that it currently has two nuclear-powered attack submarines patrolling off the East Coast of the United States. The subs have been moving up and down the coast for several days, but have not crossed into U.S. waters, which extend 12 miles from the coast.
Moscow did not notify Washington in advance of the patrols. U.S. Northern Command spokesman Michael Kucharek acknowledged the subs’ presence and said in a statement: “We have been monitoring them during transit and recognize the right of all nations to exercise freedom of navigation in international waters according to international law.”
Russian President Dmitri A. Medvedev called President Obama on Tuesday to wish him a happy birthday, though it is unknown if they discussed the submarines during the phone call.
The Russians insist these patrols are standard military practice: “I don’t know if it’s news to anyone,” said Anatoly Nogovitsyn, the deputy chief of staff of Russia’s armed forces, adding, “The navy should not stay idle at its moorings.”
Despite the Russians insistence that this recent naval activity is normal, U.S. officials and experts disagree. In fact, it is the first time in about 15 years that the Russians have put two first-line nuclear subs off the U.S. coast, according to Norman Polmar, a naval historian and submarine warfare expert.
This rare mission has raised concerns inside the Pentagon and intelligence agencies about a more assertive stance by the Russian military, according to the The New York Times, which first broke this story.
A senior Defense Department official who has been monitoring reports on the submarines’ activities told The Times: “Anytime the Russian Navy does something so out of the ordinary, it is cause for worry.”
The official added: “We’ve known where they were, and we’re not concerned about our ability to track the subs. We’re concerned just because they are there.”
The Cold War has been over for 20 years, but Russian submarines so close to U.S. shores blows a cool wind over the hot summer days of 2009.
