For the first time since the Second World War, British troops have conducted a land exercise on the Faroe Islands, responding to escalating Russian aggression across the High North.
Hundreds of personnel from the UK’s Special Operations Maritime Task Group took part in the drills alongside Danish counterparts during late September as part of a broader operation known as Lion Protector.
The exercises saw Royal Marines practise intercepting vessels belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet, the network of civilian tankers used to ship sanctioned oil and fund Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
They also rehearsed defending vital undersea cables that carry energy and data between Britain and the rest of Europe.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, speaking ahead of a Joint Expeditionary Force summit in Keflavik, Iceland, today, described the drills as “all about strengthening our deterrence towards Russia”.
He warned the strategic significance of the High North to Britain and its allies was under growing threat.
The Defence Secretary told The Telegraph: “The threat that Russia poses is manifesting itself publicly with increasing frequency, and we see that with the mapping of undersea cables.
Mr Streeting pointed to what he called “totally outrageous hostile action in Estonia, in Germany”, adding: “So the Russians are becoming more reckless and less discreet as they do so.”
British troops have conducted a land exercise on the Faroe Islands
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He urged the British public to recognise the scale of the danger, saying: “That should tell the public, who can’t always see everything we see in terms of Russia’s intentions and activity, the kind of risks that Russia is posing to us.”
The Keflavik summit brings together defence ministers from the JEF’s 10 northern European member states, alongside representatives from Ukraine and Canada.
Canada’s bid to join the UK-led coalition is expected to be a key agenda item, as is a review of the recent multinational military exercises.
The alliance has been ramping up its presence across the North Atlantic, the High North and the Baltic Sea to safeguard critical infrastructure and bolster joint command structures against emerging Russian threats.
Hundreds of personnel from the UK’s Special Operations Maritime Task Group took part in the drills alongside Danish counterparts
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ROYAL NAVY
The exercises saw Royal Marines practise intercepting vessels belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet
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ROYAL NAVY
Lion Protector, launched in August, simulated a multinational maritime escort mission spanning the full length of the Baltic Sea, during which a Danish ship ferried military equipment to Latvia.
Ukraine participated in the allied training programme for the first time.
The Faroe Islands drills encompassed amphibious landings and vertical ascent training.
It marks the first time British forces have operated on land in the archipelago since they occupied it during Operation Valentine in the Second World War.
The alliance has been ramping up its presence across the North Atlantic
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ROYAL NAVY
British troops also rehearsed defending vital undersea cables that carry energy and data between Britain and the rest of Europe
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ROYAL NAVY
Mr Streeting said the exercises included “working together on exercising for further interdictions of Russian shadow fleet vessels”, suggesting Britain may be gearing up to seize more tankers illegally transporting sanctioned fuel worldwide.
In June, Royal Marines boarded and seized the shadow fleet vessel Smyrtos in the English Channel.
On Thursday, the Foreign Office said the Kremlin was building a “dangerous new shadow fleet” to circumvent British sanctions.
At least two 984ft liquefied natural gas tankers are already entering service this year.
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