Military operations carried out by NATO on an Estonian Baltic island, instigated as a reaction to Russia's 'July Storm' military drills.
NATO's Sunny Beach Exercise Underway in Estonia's Saaremaa Island
NATO and Estonian forces are currently engaged in the Sunny Beach exercise, a training event focused on defending Estonian islands in the Baltic, according to reports by the Estonian broadcaster ERR, citing the General Staff of the local Defence Forces.
The exercises, which began on July 28 and will last for two days, are taking place on Saaremaa island. The Estonian Navy, units of the local volunteer Defence League, and helicopters from Tallinn's NATO allies are participating in the maneuvers. Helicopter support for the exercises is provided by pilots from among the allies of the North Atlantic Alliance.
The purpose of the training exercises is to prepare for potential defensive scenarios in Estonian waters. The Sunny Beach exercises are part of the North Atlantic Alliance's training schedule, as previously mentioned.
Interestingly, the Sunny Beach exercises are not being held concurrently with the Russian "July Storm" exercises, a separate event by the Russian Navy. The "July Storm" exercises were completed two days prior to the start of Sunny Beach.
The scale of the Russian "July Storm" exercises is significantly larger than that of the NATO Sunny Beach exercises. However, holding simultaneous exercises in the Baltic by Russia and the North Atlantic Alliance could potentially increase tension in the region.
It's worth noting that the search results do not provide specific information about the involvement of the US Department of Defense in the North Atlantic Alliance's Sunny Beach exercise on Estonia's Saaremaa island. While the US often participates in NATO exercises, the available sources do not explicitly confirm or describe their role in this particular exercise. For detailed and official information on U.S. involvement, checking statements from the U.S. European Command or the Department of Defense would be necessary.
The Baltops 2025 exercises by NATO were not mentioned to have taken place in the Baltic waters at the same time as the Russian "July Storm" or the Sunny Beach exercises. The maneuvers for the North Atlantic Alliance's Sunny Beach exercise are taking place on the Baltic waters adjacent to Saaremaa island.
During the training exercises, servicemen will use blank ammunition, signal missiles, and training grenades. The exercises are part of the North Atlantic Alliance's efforts to maintain readiness and preparedness in the region.
[1] ERR News, "Estonian Defence Forces to Hold Sunny Beach Exercise on Saaremaa Island," July 27, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://err.ee/1254359
[2] BNS, "NATO Sunny Beach Exercise Begins on Saaremaa Island," July 28, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://bns.ee/en/news/nato-sunny-beach-exercise-begins-saaremaa-island
- The Sunny Beach exercise, which is part of the North Atlantic Alliance's training schedule, involves sports activities such as military drills and maneuvers on Estonia's Saaremaa island.
- The Estonian Navy, units of the local volunteer Defence League, and helicopters from Tallinn's NATO allies are participating in the Sunny Beach exercise, demonstrating their prowess and sportsmanship in defending Estonian waters.
