Latvia: Open Spirit 2026 delivers real world impact in the Baltic Sea

NATO ships took part in an international mine countermeasures exercise off the coast of Latvia between 1 and 13 May 2026. Open Spirit 26 brought together Allied and Partner navies, enhanced regional security, strengthened interoperability, and reduced the threat posed Read More …

Italy sends Ukrainian suspect in Nord Stream pipeline blast to Germany

A Ukrainian man suspected of coordinating the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline in 2022 arrived in Germany on Thursday after Italy’s top court approved his handover last week, German prosecutors accuse him of belonging to a group of Read More …

Polish court blocks extradition and frees Ukrainian suspected in Nord Stream pipeline blasts

A Polish court on Friday blocked the extradition to Germany of a Ukrainian man suspected of involvement in the 2022 attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines and ordered his release, a ruling that was welcomed by Poland’s prime minister. Read More …

Italy: Suspect Is Arrested in Sabotage of Pipelines Between Russia and Germany

Italian police have arrested a Ukrainian national who German investigators believe coordinated the undersea bombing in 2022 of two gas pipelines that directly linked Russia to Germany, the German authorities said on Thursday. It was the first arrest in the Read More …

U.S. Navy EOD Removes Ordnance from WWII Shipwreck in Latvia

LIEPAJA, Latvia – U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technicians assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 8 conducted underwater clearance operations in the port of Liepaja as part of the multinational maritime exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 25. Their Read More …

NATO Conducts Historical Ordnance Disposal in the Baltic Sea

NORTHERN BALTIC SEA – After some days of coordinated operations, Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One (SNMCMG1) has successfully wrapped up a focused Historical Ordnance Disposal Operation (HODOPS) effort in the Bay of Riga. While continuing its Baltic Sentry mission, Read More …

Italy prosecutors open terrorism probe into oil tanker blasts

Italian authorities opened a terrorism investigation into explosions last weekend that damaged an oil tanker off northern Italy, in the latest of four such incidents in the Mediterranean and Baltic seas in the past month, the chief prosecutor of the Read More …

Nord Stream Pipeline Attack In 2022 Led To Biggest Single Human-Caused Methane Leak Ever

The sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines in September 2022 not only heightened geopolitical tensions but also unleashed an unprecedented environmental event, releasing the largest recorded amount of methane from a single human-caused incident – 465,000 metric tons – into Read More …

The Estonian Navy, Together with Allies, Hunts for Historical Explosives in Estonian Waters

On October 4th, the Estonian Navy, together with NATO’s Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1), began a ten-day mine clearance operation in Estonian waters. During this operation, the Estonian Navy will search for, identify, and neutralize historical explosives in Read More …

Navy EOD flexes expeditionary capabilities alongside NATO Allies at BALTOPS 2024

PUTLOS, Germany – Elements of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Units (EODMU) 2, 8, and 12 are operating with NATO allies and partners in one of the largest Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) exercises to date, June 7-20, 2024. This collaborative exercise aims Read More …

Denmark drops investigation into Nord Stream pipeline blasts

Denmark has dropped its investigation into the 2022 explosions on the Nord Stream pipelines carrying Russian gas to Germany, becoming the second country to do so after Sweden closed a separate inquiry. The multibillion-dollar Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines Read More …

Sweden Closes Investigation of Pipeline Blasts, but Stays Silent on Cause

After investigators delved into a series of undersea explosions that blew apart the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines linking Russia to Western Europe in fall 2022, intelligence agencies came to a general agreement: The evidence pointed toward pro-Ukraine forces, even Read More …

Ukraine’s sea drones, part of Ukraine’s fightback in the Black Sea

At a secret makeshift military base a nondescript van and pickup truck tow two gray objects covered by tarpaulin mounted on trailers. In the driving rain, they resemble something more akin to a Boston Whaler, rather than hiding one of Read More …

U.S.-led NATO explosive ordnance disposal task unit demonstrates interoperability, readiness in exercise BALTOPS 23

Explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) divers and technicians from Belgium, Denmark, France, Norway and the United States, assigned to NATO Task Unit 30, are participating in exercise Baltic Operations 2023 (BALTOPS 23) in Germany, Poland, and in the Baltic Sea, from Read More …

Royal Navy divers help clear Baltic Sea of unexploded ordnance during Exercise Open Spirit

Royal Navy divers are supporting Nato security efforts to recover unexploded mines and torpedoes in the Baltic Sea during Exercise Open Spirit. Specialists from the UK are taking part in a multinational explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) exercise hosted by Latvia, Read More …

Nord Stream Attack: Senator Raises Alarms About Alleged U.S. Involvement

A U.S. senator is concerned that if allegations about the United States sabotaging Russian natural gas pipelines are true, he and his colleagues weren’t aware of the plan. The U.S. continues to deny that it had any involvement in the Read More …

Sweden: Traces of explosives found at site of Russian pipeline leaks

Sweden’s prosecutor’s office said Friday that an investigation into gas leaks from two underwater pipelines connecting Russia to Germany found traces of explosives, confirming it is a case of “serious sabotage.” Swedish and Danish investigators are probing a flurry of Read More …

Russia says UK navy blew up Nord Stream, London denies involvement

Russia’s defence ministry said on Saturday (29 October) that British navy personnel blew up the Nord Stream gas pipelines last month, a claim that London said was false and designed to distract from Russian military failures in Ukraine. Russia did Read More …

‘Powerful explosions’ behind two Nord Stream gas pipeline leaks in Baltic Sea

A preliminary investigation of damage on the two Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Danish part of the Baltic Sea shows the leaks were caused by “powerful explosions”, Copenhagen Police has said. The force added officers investigated the “crime scenes” Read More …

Norway’s practice of blowing up WWII sea mines is deadly for marine mammals

In the Second World War, narrow sea areas such as fjords and straits suffered the most from mine warfare. Many Norwegian fjords were mined in the war and these old mines still cause danger for shipping and other human activities Read More …