International Open Spirit 2026 mine-clearing drills begin in Baltic Sea

International naval exercises and a mine-clearing operation, Open Spirit 2026, have begun in the Baltic Sea, aimed at clearing the seabed of explosive remnants.

The operation will run from May 1 to 13, Caliber.Az reports, citing Latvian media.

The main objective of the operation is to ensure the safety of shipping and fishing by detecting and disposing of munitions left on the Baltic seabed.

The drills are also intended to strengthen coordination among participating countries and to practice joint operations involving mine countermeasure vessels, divers, and command units.

This year, Open Spirit is being conducted in coordination with Sweden’s large-scale defence exercises Aurora 2026.

Around 400 military personnel and international naval forces are taking part in the manoeuvres.

The exercises are traditionally held on a rotational basis in one of the Baltic region countries.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov