On 4th April 2023, Finland official joined NATO in fear of Russian invasion. Which is big threat to Russia due to long boarder with Finland on flat surface mostly, which hard to defend against a giant like NATO. Furthermore, after the Russo-Ukrainian war there have been attacks on Nord Stream, a pipeline which connect Russia to Germany for oil supply. In response, NATO have been testing their ability to detect, defend and respond to underwater threats in Baltic Sea. In order Baltic seabed infrastructure including underwater pipelines, communication cables, and energy grids.
This exercise highlights NATO’s commitments in safeguarding Europe’s maritime lifelines. This mark the largest naval operation in Baltic Sea. The exercise span of 9 days from November 20 to November 29, 2024, was designed to strengthen naval deterrence and improve advanced security of critical underwater infrastructure (CUI) on the Baltic seabed. It involved with 30 naval vessels, several maritime patrol aircraft, and around approximately 4,000 personals from NATO members, including Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States.
The naval force included Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG 1) and Standing NATO Counter Measures Group 1 (SNMCMG 1) participated together in Finnish-led naval operation. The unit engaged in maritime warfare training scenarios including air defense, mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare, and counter-surface measures under the harsh winter weather conditions in the Gulf of Finland and the Archipelago Sea. Finnish Navy Chief of Staff Commodore Janne Huusko said
“The objective of the exercise is to train for the execution of international naval operations in the circumstances of the Finnish coast and the Baltic Sea.”
Later, Commodore Thomas Stig Rasmussen, a Royal Danish Navy (RDN) officer and Commander (COM) SNMG1 commented
“To this end, control of the sea is very important for NATO in peace as well as in wartime. We need to protect the SLOCs [sea lines of communication].”
The Russian have criticized NATO’s “Freezing Winds” exercise in the Baltic sea citing as a threat regional stability and escalates geopolitical tensions.
“NATO’s increased military activity in the Baltic region is a deliberate provocation aimed at destabilizing the region and pressuring Russia.”
Statement from Russian foreign ministry officials criticizing NATO’s exercise.
In response German Navy Commander Beata Krol stated
“We are a defensive alliance… By conducting training and exercising, especially in areas crucial to underwater infrastructure, we demonstrate presence and prevent rather than actively engage.”
As Trump is going to office in 20th January, 2025 who earlier expressed concerns regrading Nord Stream pipelines attack as to make efforts to reduce European reliance on Russian energy supplies. The new administration will support for this future project of NATO including Annual Exercise continuation, increase NATO presence for protection of CUI and Integration of new naval technologies.
