NATO to Hold War Games Near Russian Territory

Member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) began the annual Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) naval exercises in the Baltic Sea on Thursday (4/6), which will run until 19 June and are being held near the Russian border.

Approximately 20 ships and roughly 6,000 military personnel from 16 NATO nations are participating in BALTOPS 26. This figure is lower than 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, an increasingly critical stance towards 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 exercises have been held annually since 1972 and represent 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 borders. The Kremlin has asserted that Russia does not threaten any party, but will not ignore actions that potentially jeopardise its interests.