NATO’s largest-ever naval exercise in the Baltic Sea, Baltops 23, began in Estonia on June 3, representatives of the joint command said at a news conference in Tallinn.
“For us, the Baltops 23 exercises have historical significance, never before has Estonia hosted such a large number of NATO naval forces. Baltops 23 testify to the readiness of the Allies to defend Estonia and the Baltic Sea region as a whole and show that training in our waters is of great importance for defense.”– said Commodore Jüri Saska, Commander of the Estonian Navy.
The press conference was attended, in addition to the head of the Estonian Navy, by the Commander of the Estonian Defense Forces, General Martin Herem, the Deputy Commander of the NATO Command in Brunssum, Lieutenant General Luis Lanchares, Commander of the US 6th Fleet. Admiral Thomas E. Ishi.
It was previously reported that more than 30 NATO warships are coming to Estonia to take part in the exercises. The United States, Sweden, Poland, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Great Britain, France, Denmark, Spain, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland and Norway sent their ships. The exercise is organized and led by the US 6th Fleet, whose flagship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) became the largest ship ever to call in Tallinn.
Recall that Estonian politicians and military have repeatedly welcomed the upcoming entry of Finland and Sweden into the ranks of the North Atlantic Alliance. Therefore, they intend to make the Baltic Sea a NATO inland sea, effectively blockading the Russian Baltic Fleet in St. Petersburg.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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