NATO to Hold War Games Near Russian Territory

Member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) on Thursday (4/6) began the annual Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) naval exercise in the Baltic Sea, which will run until 19 June and is being held near the Russian border. Approximately 20 vessels and around 6,000 military personnel from 16 NATO countries are taking part in BALTOPS 26. That figure is lower than BALTOPS 25, which involved more than 40 vessels, 25 aircraft, and around 9,000 personnel. The scale of this year’s exercise has been reduced in response to Washington’s declining interest in the alliance, an increasingly critical stance towards its European allies, a strategic pivot to other regions, and ongoing engagement in the Strait of Hormuz. The exercise is being conducted under the command of the United States Sixth Fleet and NATO’s Naval Striking and Support Forces 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. The BALTOPS exercise has been held annually since 1972 and is one of NATO’s largest naval drills in the Baltic Sea region. In recent years, Russia has repeatedly voiced concerns over what it calls unprecedented NATO activity near its western borders. The Kremlin has stressed that Russia does not threaten any party but will not ignore actions that could potentially endanger its interests.