Media: Berlin in alert as Russian destroyer tracks German frigate from North Atlantic to Baltic Sea Bayern vs. Kulakov

A Russian naval vessel has closely followed a German frigate into the Baltic Sea, prompting concern in Berlin amid growing tensions with Moscow.

The incident, involving the Russian destroyer Vice-Admiral Kulakov and the German Navy’s Bayern, unfolded over several days and across thousands of kilometres — from the North Atlantic to the port of Rostock, Caliber.Az reports, citing Bild.

According to reports from Kieler Nachrichten, the Bayern had been conducting joint exercises in the North Atlantic alongside the German submarine U 33 and other NATO units. Simultaneously, Russia deployed two of its Northern Fleet destroyers — the Severomorsk and Vice-Admiral Kulakov — from their base in the Kola Fjord for anti-submarine warfare manoeuvres.

Following the exercise, the Kulakov broke formation and set course southward, shadowing the Bayern along the Norwegian coast. The German crew was aware of the presence of the Russian vessel, which is armed with a full suite of naval weaponry, including anti-submarine missiles, torpedoes, and air defence systems.

As the Kulakov approached Danish waters, the Danish frigate Iver Huitfeldt began to tail the Russian ship from Skagen to the Great Belt, continuing to monitor its activities.

The sight of the Russian destroyer near German territorial waters has triggered alarm within Germany’s new federal government coalition. Christoph Ploß, the government’s Maritime Coordinator, expressed serious concern.

“This incident demonstrates the urgent need to protect our ports from growing Russian threats,” Ploß told BILD. “We must reinforce our infrastructure, boost cyber security, and upgrade our bridges to accommodate heavy military transport like tanks.”

Ploß affirmed that the federal government would allocate the necessary funds for these defensive measures.

The Vice-Admiral Kulakov, launched in 1981 and modernised in recent years, is classified as an Udaloy-class destroyer — a vessel specialised in anti-submarine warfare. At 163 meters in length and bristling with advanced weaponry, it represents a potent symbol of Russia’s maritime capabilities.

The presence of the Kulakov in the Baltic Sea is being interpreted by analysts as a signal of Moscow’s intent to project naval power and test NATO’s response mechanisms in a strategically vital region.

For the record, the Baltic Sea has increasingly become a zone of strategic contestation between NATO and Russia, particularly since the outbreak of the Ukraine war and the subsequent expansion of NATO to include Finland and Sweden.

By Khagan Isayev