Russia’s quieter nuclear submarines threaten NATO, former commander warns
NATO Eyes Growing Russian Submarine Threat in the Arctic
Washington, D.C. – NATO officials are raising alarm over Russia’s expanding fleet of quieter, nuclear‑powered submarines that could give the Kremlin new leverage in the North Atlantic and Arctic. The concerns came to the fore after a former NATO commander, retired General Philip Breedlove, highlighted how the new generation of Russian subs can “move beneath the surface” undetected, threatening NATO’s northern flank.
A series of NATO statements and recent initiatives underscore the urgency. On September 2, the alliance’s Allied Joint Force Command in Brunssum, Netherlands, posted on X that the Russian submarine threat in the region is “serious.” The commander added that Russia is “expanding and modernising its submarine force” with new‑generation, nuclear‑powered SSGNs that can carry long‑range cruise missiles and hypersonic anti‑ship weapons. “They may be invisible beneath the waves, but not for us. We see them, we watch the developments closely and yes, we take these developments seriously,” the command said.
The newest Russian boats, known as Yasen‑M submarines, are built by the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk. They weigh 13,800 tons and are equipped with advanced acoustic‑quieting systems and sonar that reduce noise signatures. According to the U.S. Naval Institute, they can launch 1,000‑mile‑range cruise missiles and anti‑ship missiles. Russian Navy commander‑in‑chief Fleet Admiral Alexander Moiseyev declared in a June 17 statement that the Yasen‑M “are capable of accomplishing all of the Navy’s objectives in any part of the World Ocean while remaining invisible.”
Breedlove, who led NATO’s European Command for several years, explained that submarines represent one of the toughest threats the alliance faces. “Submarines are very hard to find and track,” he told Fox News Digital. “They can get well within striking distance of any nation in the Atlantic—from the United States to our NATO allies. They can get close enough to the shore to fire submarine‑launched ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, which is a major problem.” He added that the ability to “increase stealthiness or noise suppression” by a Russian submarine “is, of course, a problem for NATO.”
The Russian focus on the Arctic is part of a broader strategy. Moscow has expanded military infrastructure on its Kola Peninsula, adding airfields, ports and radar stations to strengthen its foothold along the Northern Sea Route. This corridor is now a key shipping lane, with the melting Arctic ice making the Northern Passage an attractive route that can cut trade times to Asia by up to two weeks.
“The GIUK Gap—a narrow stretch between Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom—remains a critical gateway for Russian naval forces moving from their northern bases into the Atlantic,” Breedlove said. “All the Russian ships have to come out through the GIUK Gap to make it into the Atlantic.” He warned that the United States and six other Arctic nations are watching Russia’s moves closely.
In response, NATO has been tightening its northern posture. In February 2026 the alliance launched Arctic Sentry, a multidomain initiative led by Joint Force Command Norfolk aimed at coordinating land, air, and maritime operations across the High North. The effort was bolstered in June by Forward Land Forces Finland, a Swedish‑led multinational force stationed in Finland to enhance deterrence and defense along NATO’s northeastern flank.
The buildup has drawn criticism from Russia. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov wrote an essay on August 30 in which he warned that increased Western military activity in the Far North “poses a direct threat to Russia’s security.” He cautioned that such activity “increases the risk of incidents that could trigger an armed confrontation with potentially disastrous consequences,” according to Reuters.
Breast of the comments also reflects a broader geopolitical context. With Russia’s war in Ukraine ongoing, Putin’s leadership has increasingly relied on showcasing new “super weapons” to divert attention. Breedlove said: “When Putin is in trouble—he is in trouble now in his war in Ukraine—one of the ways he diverts attention is to start announcing new super weapons and super capabilities that NATO and the West can’t contend with.”
The combination of quieter submarines and upgraded Arctic infrastructure means NATO faces a challenging under‑sea surveillance problem. “Submarines are one of the toughest threats that we have to deal with,” Breedlove reiterated. “They’re very hard to find and track, and we need to adapt our measures and our ability to see and track them.”
As Arctic ice continues to recede, the region’s strategic importance is set to grow. While the melting ice opens new shipping routes, it also offers Russia an opportunity to expand its presence and exert control over the Northern Sea Route. NATO’s new initiatives and heightened vigilance aim to counter any potential advantage Russia could gain through its latest submarine class.
For now, NATO’s message is clear: the alliance is taking Russia’s growing submarine capability seriously and is working to strengthen its detection, monitoring, and deterrence capabilities across the Arctic and North Atlantic.