Russia's war in Ukraine overshadows NATO's 2023 northern Baltic Sea drill

THE Northern Coasts NATO drills in the Baltic Sea have been injected with a note of grim realism in light of Russia's war in Ukraine, the exercise director said on Monday (September 18).

The drills involve practising amphibious operations and strikes from sea to land, and securing routes through the Baltic in seas off Latvia and Estonia, NATO members that border Russia to the east and have felt more exposed to threats from their former Soviet master since Russian forces invaded Ukraine last year.

The drills kicked off on Sept. 9 and involve some 30 ships and over 3,000 personnel from all NATO countries in the Baltic region plus soon-to-be member Sweden and non-Baltic allies the U.S., Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium and France.

German Rear Admiral and Exercise Director Stephan Haisch said the Russian presence in the Baltic Sea, including an intelligence-collecting vessel, frigates and an aircraft was normal and expected but this year's NATO exercises have moved away from artifical scenarios towards reality.

Captain Maris Polencs, chief of Latvian navy, said the navy needed to develop their future capabilities of sea of mining and de-mining in light of Russia's war in Ukraine.

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