NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, ironically commented on the state of the Russian submarine Novorossisk

Rutte emphasized that the Russian submarine, which surfaced in the North Sea, is 'broken', referring to the absence of a Russian naval presence in the Mediterranean Sea. Although Russia denied technical problems, Danish authorities reported that the submarine was being towed. Rutte compared the situation to the novel 'The Hunt for Red October', suggesting that it is now more of a 'hunt for the nearest mechanic'.