NATO's 12-day military exercise in the Black Sea will conclude on Saturday.

Dozens of ships, patrol aircraft, helicopters, and thousands of military personnel participated in a large naval exercise in which the Romanian Navy fully deployed its forces in the Black Sea.

NATO's 'Sea Shield' military exercise in the Black Sea will conclude on Saturday. The exercise coincided with a period of heightened tensions in the region, where the Black Sea plays a strategic role on NATO's eastern flank. In addition to 1,600 soldiers from Romania, 11 partner countries, including Albania, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Greece, Italy, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Spain, the United States, and Turkey, also participated. The exercise simulated a range of scenarios, including hybrid threats related to sea and air attacks, featuring dozens of ships, patrol aircraft, helicopters, and approximately 2,600 soldiers from 12 allied countries. The training includes attack simulations designed to prepare NATO’s response capabilities.

Constant Vigilance For the first time since its establishment in 2023, the Black Sea Task Group, responsible for neutralizing potential underwater threats such as mines, was also present at the exercise. "There are drifting mines that pose a danger for operations," said Colonel Catalin Harabaglu, Commander of the 'King Ferdinand' frigate's Combat and Operations Service. "We need to learn to work together, operate, and speak the same language." The exercise also included special forces, combat divers, and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) defense experts, simulating a wide variety of modern warfare scenarios. Rear Admiral Cornel Cojocaru, Commander of the Romanian Naval Fleet, referred to the necessity of maintaining constant vigilance: "Threats have existed since the beginning of the war. Russia has conducted attacks on Ukraine with ships, submarines, and aircraft," he said. "We need both highly trained personnel and technology." The exercise provides NATO forces with an opportunity to enhance their strategies and strengthen collective defense measures in the Black Sea. The iteration of the exercise, which was first held in 2015, will conclude on April 11 after a 12-day program.