US worried about Russian nuclear submarines offshore

Despite the ongoing war against Ukraine, Russia seems to have enough reserves for intimidation maneuvers. "There are clear signs that Russia has sent nuclear submarines off the US coast and into the Mediterranean Sea," Michael Peterson tells Newsweek. He is Director of the Russia Maritime Studies Institute (RMSI), which tracks Russian military and economic actions at and in the seas

Symbolic picture: Russian submarine Orel at a parade in 2018© APA/AFP/OLGA MALTSEVA / OLGA MALTSEVA

According to Peterson, the locations of the nuclear submarines would reflect the tactics used by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. At that time, the submarines were stationed near the coasts of NATO countries. They were equipped with nuclear missiles to attack these countries in case of war.

By stationing the submarines off the coast, the cruise missiles would fly shorter to the target compared to an ICBM launched from the mainland. As a result, the attacked countries have less time for countermeasures. Also, a submerged submarine is theoretically "invisible," while an airborne tactical bomber or an ICBM would show up on radar early on.

40 nuclear missiles per submarine
In addition to Peterson, representatives of the US armed forces have also noticed these submarine movements. In October, Air Force General Glen VanHerck warned of the increasing number of Russian Jasen-class nuclear submarines off the US coast. Each of these submarines can transport up to 40 Kalibr cruise missiles. These can be equipped with nuclear warheads and have a range of up to 2,500 kilometers.

VanHerck said such nuclear submarines are currently operating in the Pacific, Atlantic and Mediterranean Seas. The US armaments expert H I Sutton also reported increased activity by Russian submarines in the Mediterranean.

Experts believe this is more saber rattling than actual preparation for nuclear war. Even during the Cold War, the Soviet Union and the USA deliberately allowed the other side to discover some of their submarines. You wanted the other party to know that you had nuclear weapons stationed under their noses.

Russian fleet is weakened
With this, Putin could want to show the West that Russia, despite the war against Ukraine, still has enough clout if NATO were to get involved in the conflict. In December, Putin also announced that more nuclear submarines would be built "to guarantee Russia's security for decades to come."

The Russian submarine fleet is not doing well at the moment. Current construction projects are delayed by years, for some submarines even by decades. Several submarines have been decommissioned due to age. For others, ammunition is out because the launch tubes are outdated and incompatible with current cruise missiles in Russia's arsenal.

There would also be a general ammunition shortage in the Russian Navy due to the Ukraine war. According to Peterson, far fewer cruise missiles are being fired at Ukraine from ships and submarines now than there were just a few months ago. Instead, Russia is increasingly relying on attacks with kamikaze drones and guided missiles fired from aircraft. Peterson reckons it will take Russia's navy several years to recover from the effects of the war.