'Credible deterrence': Royal Marines Commandos join allies for large-scale exercises amid Russia tensions
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Royal Marines Commandos were joined by various UK allies including Scandinavian nations and the Netherlands
British troops have taken part in a major joint military exercise amid heightening tensions with Russia.
UK forces joined allies from the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) in Exercise Lion Protector 26 with training spanning the North Atlantic, High North, and Baltic Sea. Royal Marines also conducted their first exercise in the Faroe Islands since the Second World War as part of the operation alongside Danish forces.
It is the latest Lion Protector training exercise, after one in August rehearsed a maritime escort operation stretching the entire Baltic Sea. It was carried out alongside other JEF countries, including Scandinavian countries, those in the Baltic region and the Netherlands.
The Marines practised interceptions and amphibious landings on the Faroes. Defence secretary Wes Streeting is meeting with JEF counterparts in Keflavik in Iceland, with representatives from Ukraine and Canada also in attendance.
Talks are expected to focus on support for Ukraine, countering hybrid threats and industry co-operation. They will also discuss Canada’s application to join JEF countries. The meeting follows a fresh package of UK sanctions targeting the Kremlin’s war chest, “propagandists” and people accused of involvement in the torture of Ukrainian civilians.
Some 23 individuals and entities will be subject to asset freezes and travel bans, while eight ships linked to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” will be subject to trade sanctions. The measures are aimed at maintaining economic pressure on Moscow ahead of the bitter winter months, which, in the years since its full-scale invasion began in 2022, have brought an escalation of strikes on Ukraine’s power grid.
Mr Streeting said: “The North Atlantic, High North, and Baltic are the frontline of the UK’s security, which is why British leadership of the Joint Expeditionary Force is so vital to our defence.”
He added: “From conducting amphibious landings on the Faroe Islands, to deploying a standing headquarters north of the Arctic Circle, our recent JEF exercises have shown how Britain is working with our allies to enhance Nato’s defence of the region in the face of rising Russian threats.”
General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord and Commandant General Royal Marines, said: “The Faroe Islands sit in the middle of the North Atlantic, forming a critical part of the northern approaches for both the UK and Nato. Defending the Atlantic is fundamental to our economy, national security and way of life. In troubling times, we cannot be complacent.
“That is why I am pleased to announce that the Royal Marines have returned to the Faroes for the first time since the Second World War. Their return should send an unequivocal message: the UK, alongside Denmark and our other allies in the Joint Expeditionary Force, stand ready to protect the waters, islands and vital routes that keep our nations secure.
“Our Commandos have shown they can deploy quickly, master some of the most demanding terrain imaginable and operate as one allied force. That is what credible deterrence looks like.”