A significant two-week exercise in the Baltic Sea has commenced for NATO forces, with the first vessels departing from the northeastern German port of Rostock on Thursday morning. Among the ships leaving the Rostock-Varneumunde naval base are the German corvette Magdeburg and the French minesweeper Vulcain.
The annual exercise, known as BALTOPS, is led by the US and involves approximately 50 ships, over 25 aircraft, and around 9,000 troops from 17 different countries. This year’s 54th edition will continue until June 20.
The Baltic Sea is deemed strategically significant due to Russia’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine. Notably, Russia is the only one of the nine countries bordering the Baltic that is not part of NATO.
Video vom Einlaufen des Einsatzgruppenversorgers „Frankfurt am Main“ zum NATO-Marinemanöver BALTOPS 2025 in Rostock-Warnemünde https://t.co/yBWb7LcEYA pic.twitter.com/lapQgpanof
— Rostock-Heute.de (@Rostock_Heute) June 1, 2025
“Responses” from Moscow during the exercise
Moscow has denounced the exercise as a “provocation,” while the Russian fleet has been conducting its own drills in the Baltic Sea recently, comprising over 20 warships, gunboats, and support vessels. According to the Russian navy, the intention is to “test the fleet’s capabilities in defending their bases.”
The aim is to “enhance the military operations of the fleet,” the statement concluded.
Representatives from all participating nations in #BALTOPS, #NATO‘s largest maritime exercise, convened at the pre-sail conference in Warnemünde, 🇩🇪, yesterday. Protection was provided by soldiers from the Sea Battalion. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/w1nW9dBjNH
— Germany at NATO (@GermanyNATO) June 4, 2025
As reported by state television, the exercise, which began on May 27, is ongoing this week. Participants include corvettes, frigates, small missile ships, submarines, and minesweepers, with about 25 aircraft, including helicopters, around 3,000 troops, and up to 70 special units.
‼️🇷🇺🌊 #Russia is carrying out exercises in the Baltic: the ships practiced combating unmanned boats and UAVs. Since May 27, the Baltic Fleet has been conducting exercises with more than 20 warships, boats, and support vessels, alongside about 3,000 servicemen, and around 25 aircraft and helicopters… pic.twitter.com/PHfkKqIddk
— Maimunka News (@MaimunkaNews) May 31, 2025
The BALTOPS exercise has been conducted for over five decades, but this marks the first time it has begun from Rostock, home to the German Navy.
OSTSEE-MANÖVER BALTOPS: NATO-FLOTTE LEGT AB! Das Manöver beginnt in Rostock, dem Sitz des deutschen Marinekommandos. Bis zum 20. Juni trainieren rund 9000 Soldaten aus 17 Ländern, unterstützt von mehr als 50 Schiffen und Booten sowie 25 Flugzeugen und Hubschraubern. #NATO… pic.twitter.com/PzuUF8m4nr
— Dr. Buzz (@DrBuzzzzz) June 5, 2025
Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Alexander Grusko, has accused NATO of preparing for a confrontation with Russia through the annual BALTOPS exercise. He stated, “Of course, exercises of this nature are extremely provocative,” in comments to Russia’s state news agency TASS. “We see NATO’s military actions as part of the preparations for a military conflict with Russia,” Grusko added.
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