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Over 50 combat ships to arrive in Lithuania for NATO’s largest Baltic drills — admiral

"About 30 ships will moor at the Klaipeda state port and several more will stay outside the port, depending on their assigned missions," Giedrius Premeneckas said

VILNIUS, June 4. /TASS/. About 4,000 NATO personnel will arrive on more than 50 combat ships in Lithuania to take part in the largest Baltic exercise Baltops 2024, Lithuanian Navy Commander Admiral Giedrius Premeneckas told reporters on Tuesday.

Overall, the maritime exercise will involve 9,000 personnel, he said.

"About 30 ships will moor at the Klaipeda state port and several more will stay outside the port, depending on their assigned missions," the admiral said.

Aside from the ships representing the navies of 21 countries, the drills will involve 45 combat aircraft. As the Lithuanian admiral said, the maneuvers will be the largest Baltic drills to date. They will last until June 22.

The goal of the maritime exercise Baltops 2024 is to demonstrate strategic interaction among NATO partners at the tactical and operational levels and practice joint crisis response operations.