"NATO-led Baltic Sea drills prioritize defense against Russian attack"
Major naval drills in the Baltic Sea involving NATO countries, Sweden, and non-Baltic allies will focus on practicing how to respond to a potential Russian assault in the region. The two-week exercise, called Northern Coasts, will involve over 30 ships and more than 3,000 service members. The drills will include amphibious operations, strikes from sea to land, and securing sea routes. Germany's navy chief emphasized the importance of maintaining maritime supply routes through the Baltic Sea, particularly the Suwalki Gap, which connects the Baltic states to Poland and NATO's main territory in Europe. Germany aims to provide its new maritime headquarters in Rostock as a regional maritime headquarters for NATO operations in the Baltic Sea.