Dangerous muscle flexing by Putin: Russia sends fleet to Baltic Sea - during NATO maneuvers

Created: 06/07/2022, 22:50

By: Richard Strobl

Four ships of the Navy, the supply ship tender "Elbe" (l), a minesweeper and two minesweepers leave the port of Kiel to reinforce NATO's northern flank in the Baltic Sea.

© Axel Heimken/dpa

Parallel to a NATO maneuver, Russia has now started a major troop exercise by its Baltic Fleet in the Baltic Sea.

Kaliningrad - While the Ukraine war rages on in the immediate vicinity, there is now a dangerous flexing of muscles in the Baltic Sea.

Involved: NATO - led by the USA - and Russia.

Spicy Russia exercise in the Baltic Sea - during ongoing NATO maneuvers

Parallel to a NATO maneuver in the Baltic Sea, Russia has now started its own major military exercise there and sent its Baltic Fleet to the Baltic Sea.

More than 20 warships and boats are involved in the exercise.

This was announced by the Russian military on Tuesday, according to a report by the Interfax news agency.

In addition to corvettes and frigates, these also include missile boats, submarine destroyers and landing craft.

Il-38 anti-submarine aircraft and attack helicopters also belong to the squadron.

According to the Russian military, these are planned combat exercises.

Nevertheless, the timing is piquant: The NATO maneuver "Baltops 2022" with 45 ships under the leadership of the US Navy is still running in the Baltic Sea until the middle of the month.

45 ships are involved in the exercise.

Putin's Response to NATO Maneuvers?

Increased tensions in the Baltic Sea region

The activity of Russian troops in the Baltic Sea region has increased noticeably.

At the beginning of May, the Russian army held major military maneuvers in the Baltic Sea exclave of Kaliningrad, simulating the launching of Iskander missiles.

The short-range missiles with an official range of up to 500 kilometers can be equipped with both conventional and nuclear warheads.

In April, the Russian Ministry of Defense launched a multi-week exercise to check the operational readiness of the Baltic Fleet.

Since the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, tensions have also grown in the Baltic region.

Sweden and Finland have applied to join NATO.

High-ranking Russian politicians such as former President Dmitry Medvedev threatened to station nuclear weapons in the Baltic region.

The exercise that has now started looks almost like Vladimir Putin's response to the ongoing NATO maneuvers.