Russian and Chinese submarines have conducted their first-ever joint patrol in the Asia-Pacific, marking a new stage in the deepening military partnership between the two powers. Russia's Pacific Fleet confirmed the patrol involved diesel-electric submarines and followed the conclusion of large-scale bilateral naval drills in the Sea of Japan earlier this month.
"The joint patrol was launched in early August, after the Russian-Chinese drills Maritime Interaction 2025 had concluded in the Sea of Japan," the Pacific Fleet said in a statement carried by Interfax. "The diesel-electric submarine Volkhov of the Pacific Fleet and a submarine of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy took to patrolling along an approved route in the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea."
According to the fleet, the Volkhov covered more than 2,000 nautical miles before returning to its home base in Vladivostok. "The Gromky corvette and the Foty Krylov rescue tugboat provided support to the first submarine patrol," the statement added. Both crews have now returned to their bases.
This was the first time submarines, rather than only surface vessels, took part in a joint patrol, highlighting the growing technical and operational trust between the Russian and Chinese navies. Earlier in August, the two countries staged simulated submarine rescue operations, with a Chinese submarine entering Russian waters for the first time. Russian state media portrayed the exercise as proof of the partners' ability to operate under challenging conditions.
The Pacific Fleet also noted that the Admiral Tributs anti-submarine warfare ship and the Shaoxing destroyer, along with the Qiandaohu replenishment ship from the Chinese navy, conducted a joint surface patrol earlier this year.
Moscow and Beijing have steadily expanded military cooperation in recent years, conducting joint operations in the Pacific, the Arctic, and beyond. Analysts say the inclusion of submarines underscores a strategic shift as both countries invest heavily in underwater capabilities. Russia has modernized its Far East bases to house nuclear-powered submarines, while China continues to expand what is already the world's largest navy by ship count.
The Pacific Fleet said the main goal of the fifth joint Russia-China patrol mission is to "strengthen naval cooperation between the two countries, ensure peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, monitor the maritime area and protect Russian and Chinese maritime economic facilities." The first joint patrol was conducted in 2021 and has since become an annual practice.
