The 2025 NATO BALTOPS naval exercise, part of a series of exercises held in the Baltic Sea since 1972, will officially open on June 3. "This time, NATO will not be alone," the German media noted.
Last week, Russia launched a drill in the Baltic Sea region, a month earlier than usual.
On May 27, Russia's Baltic fleet announced that it had begun a series of drills to practice base defense plans, coordinating with the Northern fleet and with support from the Space Force, along with Moscow and Leningrad military zones.
Therefore, Russian and NATO forces "may have a dangerous approach to each other," according to German media.
According to TASS, Moritz Brake - senior expert at the Center for Security, Strategy and Advanced Integration Research (CASSIS) - warned: "What is happening in the Baltic Sea is at risk of further escalation". He stressed that provocational actions are completely possible.
Johannes Peters - Director of the Center for Maritime Strategy and Security at the Institute of Security Policy at Kiel University - commented that Russia "will take advantage of the exercise to reconnait and spying on neighboring forces".
"Russia is moving its units to the region for that purpose and that is legal," Mr. Peters said, noting that this move shows that Russia is demonstrating its "power and action capability".
