NATO conducts BALTOPS 26 exercises near Russian border

Moscow (ANTARA) - Member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) began the annual Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) naval exercises in the Baltic Sea on Thursday. The drills, which are being held near the Russian border, are scheduled to continue until 19 June.

Approximately 20 ships and roughly 6,000 military personnel from 16 NATO nations are participating in BALTOPS 26. This figure represents a reduction compared to BALTOPS 25, which involved more than 40 ships, 25 aircraft, and approximately 9,000 personnel.

The scale of this year’s exercise has been reduced in response to declining interest from Washington towards the alliance, a stance increasingly critical of its European allies, a shift in strategic focus to other regions, and ongoing involvement in the Strait of Hormuz.

The exercises are being conducted under the command of the United States Navy’s Sixth Fleet and the NATO Allied Maritime Command.

Participating nations include the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Portugal, and Türkiye.

BALTOPS has been held annually since 1972 and remains one of NATO’s largest naval exercises in the Baltic Sea region.

In recent years, Russia has repeatedly expressed concerns regarding unprecedented NATO activity near its western border. The Kremlin has asserted that Russia does not threaten any party, but will not ignore actions that potentially jeopardise its interests.