Gianluca Di Feo interviewed on the Republic the Chief of Staff of the Italian Defense, Admiral Giuseppe Cable Dragon on the story of Russian submarines and ships found to patrol in our waters, in the Adriatic Sea. The Admiral wanted to clarify that our Navy has always kept the ships under the orders of Moscow under control and at bay. Therefore, we faithfully reproduce the interview published in the well-known Italian newspaper considering the importance of the story and of the matter that closely affects our Armed Forces and National Defense.
What exactly did Russian ships do in the Adriatic?
“They certainly did not block the Canale d'Otranto: naval traffic continued quietly. It was a patrol operation, immediately thwarted by the action of our Navy. It was not a confrontation between NATO and the Russians or between the Americans and the Russians: in those waters there was the “Truman” aircraft carrier, which however operates under US command. It was the Italian forces that took the countermeasures ”.
What have you done?
"As soon as the Command of the Naval Squad became aware of the Russian movements, the admiral Aurelius De Carolis it mobilized the closest units, which at that time were engaged in the European Inni device, in the NATO patrol mission and in normal maritime surveillance. A fluid, textbook reaction, ordering what is called "a search operation ". Two Fremm frigates, the most modern in our fleet, have moved. The "Bergamini”On the Russian fighter“ Admiral Tributs ”; the "Marceglia " on the cruiser “Varyag”. Planes P72 ofaeronautics they have flown over them relentlessly. Then the frigate also arrived "Libeccio". In short, we did not give up for a moment".
Why close to our coasts?
"It is a fairly routine activity, aimed at the position of the NATO forces in relation to the Ukrainian crisis. The Russians patrolled, somehow "solicited" the device of the US fleet and evaluated how it reacted. There was spy ship "Vasily Tatishchev" which deals with analyzing radar frequencies. We followed them and studied their moves. These are situations in which it is not clear who is following whom or, as we say in jargon, who "shade"Who: exactly mirroring maneuvers".
How far away are the ships of the two sides left?
"We stay at greater distances to examine the radar emissions, but often we have reached a few hundred meters. We also sent the "Longobard" submarine, who guarded the whole area: when he knew he was not being framed by the sonar, he went much closer. The photos taken from the periscope show how close he was to the Russian units ".
Have the Russian ships gone now?
"I am no longer in the Adriatic. They moved further south into the Ionian Sea. And it arrived "Admiral Grigorovich“, One of the most modern frigates of their fleet: it is equipped with Kalibr long-range missiles, protagonists of the conflict in Ukraine. A type of weapon to which we must pay attention also in the Mediterranean ”.
Wasn't this the only confrontation with the Moscow navy?
"After the invasion of Ukraine they have increased: they also happen in front of Libya and near the Bosphorus. Until 2015, there was only one Russian ship in the Mediterranean. Then with substantial investments they renovated the Syrian port of Tartous, which since 2017 they have obtained a concession for half a century, transforming it into an important base. Last year there were a dozen units in Moscow: they were moving in the areas south of Cyprus, where hydrocarbon deposits have been identified, and obviously in the NATO exercise areas. Finally, in view of the Ukrainian crisis they have deployed a powerful device, with as many as twenty ships ”.
And how do you respond to this situation?
“Our response is very dynamic, with the contribution of all allies. In April, two of their Kilo submarines approached the Nato fleet in the Ionian Sea but were spotted by Italian frigates from day one. We kept them in the sonar for ten days, then a French unit replaced ours. In the submarines they hear our sonars that “ping” them or frame them: they understood that they could not get out of control and went away ”.
They look like scenes from the film "Hunt for the Red October": a situation of high tension ...
"There have never been any accidents. The scenario we are experiencing is exactly that envisaged in the strategic concept defined in June by Minister Guerini. When, I hope soon, peace is reached in Ukraine, there will be a big reverberation on the Mediterranean and we will have to manage it for a long time. Because this is where Moscow's sources of supply are, because North Africa is an area that the Russians want to destabilize and we must take steps to prevent it. From the coastal states to the Sahel, Russian activity is well known and will manifest itself with greater intensity in the coming years ”.
So the naval confrontation is not related to the war in Ukraine?
"We must not be under any illusions: the Russian presence is destined to continue and increase. On July 31, Putin signed a document in which he indicates the Mediterranean as strategic: it will be the cornerstone of the confrontation with NATO and the Russians will maintain a stable naval force. They will be particularly assertive in the Middle East and Africa, where they want to establish a base in Sudan. They will try to relaunch in Egypt, Libya and Algeria. Russian attention is no longer only in the eastern Mediterranean, but also in the central one. We have to prepare and for this, after what happened in the Adriatic, I have ordered to change our naval safety device. The "Mare Safe" operation has now become "Safe Mediterranean" and the patrolling extended throughout the basin, not only in the areas closest to Italy: it is the only way to have control of the situation".
Are the defense instruments up to the new situation?
"We don't wake up today. The Planning Document, presented a month ago by the Minister to Parliament, foresees 170 programs already launched to which we have added another 47: they are all intended for the modernization of the military instrument for the new challenges, including the lessons we are drawing from Ukraine . However, the times of realization are not fast. We take theArmy. At the top of the Defense priorities is the need to update medium and heavy vehicles, such as armored vehicles and tanks: these are processes of long implementation, even if they have been running for years ”.
How are you reinforcing the security equipment of the Mediterranean?
"In the Mediterranean we will have to face an important underwater threat, which will become even more pressing. We have a program to build four submarines and two Fremm frigates dedicated to this purpose. However, we lack an aircraft with the ability to discover submarines and great autonomy. Then there are other needs:Aeronautics serves a strategic transport aircraft, for example, for interventions abroad. Because all the modernization of the Defense must be managed in an inter-force conception ”.