The Royal Netherlands Navy escorted a Russian frigate, a tanker and two cargo ships through the North Sea between November 4 and 10, the Dutch Ministry of Defence announced on Wednesday, November 11.
The four vessels entered Dutch waters from the north. The navy deployed hydrographic survey ships HNLMS Luymes and HNLMS Snellius for the escort and flew an NH90 maritime combat helicopter to monitor the Russian ships.
The ministry has previously stated that the Netherlands escorts all Russian naval ships. It describes the practice as a demonstration of vigilance and a means of preventing sabotage of undersea infrastructure, although an international right of passage applies in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Luymes escorted Kilo-class submarine Novorossiysk and tug Yakov Grebelskiy through the Dutch EEZ with NH90 support in October 2025. Between September 30 and October 6 this year, chartered patrol vessel DSS Galatea escorted another group of four Russian vessels, including frigate Admiral Levchenko, which had entered Dutch waters from the south.
The ministry hired Galatea in 2025 to free warships from watch duties, pending delivery of two multifunctional support vessels expected in 2027.
In the same week as the escort, HNLMS Den Helder joined Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 as flagship.
