Russia announced on Wednesday, August 2, that it launched naval maneuvers involving around fifty ships and aviation in the Baltic, a sea essentially bordered by NATO countries that Moscow considers an existential threat.
“Since August 2, the Ocean Shield-2023 naval exercise has been taking place in the Baltic Sea under the leadership of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Admiral Nikolay Yevmenov,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement broadcast on Telegram.
What are the means deployed?
The “Ocean Shield 2023” maneuvers include some 200 military exercises with “more than 30 ships and combat vessels, 20 supply ships, 30 aircraft (…) and around 6,000 military personnel”, the Ministry of Defense said. .
What is the purpose of these maneuvers?
The objective is to “verify the ability of the military fleet to defend the national interests of Russia”, he added, which does not specify the duration of the maneuvers.
“During the exercise, measures will be practiced to protect maritime communications, the transport of troops and military cargo and the defense of the sea coast,” said the Russian Ministry of Defense. “After the end of the exercise, the ships will carry out inter-fleet redeployment to permanent base points, and the aviation will return to its airfields.”
In what context is Russia launching this operation?
Since Russia launched its assault on Ukraine, the countries bordering the Baltic Sea have closed ranks against Moscow. Thus, Finland and Sweden have both asked to join NATO, something done for Helsinki and in progress for Stockholm.
Moscow has lost its strategic underwater gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea linking its territory to Germany, these having been damaged by still unsolved explosions, and Europe having decided to wean itself off Russian hydrocarbons to sanction Russia and not fund his war effort.