NATO allies have come together off the coast of Dorset to showcase their naval strength and demonstrate continued support for Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia.
The multinational exercise, Sea Breeze 2025, took place on Monday near Portland, involving warships and crews from the UK, United States, France, Belgium, Greece, Poland, and the Netherlands. The exercise focused on maritime training and collaboration, with a particular emphasis on mine-clearing operations.
Speaking during the event, Royal Navy Commodore Steve Banfield, who co-leads the maritime capability coalition for Ukraine, underlined the importance of joint training.
“The only way that navies can work together is by training together,” he said.
As part of the day’s activities, Ukrainian naval personnel received hands-on training using modern Mine Counter Measure (MCM) vessels, technology already in operation within the Royal Navy. The training is designed to help Ukraine deal with the significant threat of sea mines in regions such as the Black Sea, where both Russian and Ukrainian forces have deployed mines throughout the conflict.
Cdre Banfield noted that giving Ukraine access to mine-clearing capabilities is not only essential for their current defence needs but also for the future.
“It will allow Ukrainian forces to clear the seas in a post-war world and help to keep ships safe at sea,” he said.
Ukraine plays a critical role in global agriculture exports, and with shipping lanes under threat, ensuring their security remains a strategic priority.
Reflecting on the exercise, Cdre Banfield added:
“This is to hone the individual skills of the operators, to hone the skills of the battle staffs, to plan mine counter-measure operations. But most importantly, it allows the navies of the world to operate together so that when we do this for real in a combat situation, we have done it before.”
Combat Experience and Harsh Realities
While NATO brings technological support and training, Ukrainian naval leaders emphasised that their forces bring something else to the table, real-world wartime experience.
“There are not many countries in the world that have real combat experience during wartime,” said Commodore Dmytro Kovalenko, chief of the Ukrainian Navy’s training command.
He acknowledged the value of training in safer waters, but highlighted the stark difference between UK coastal conditions and the hostile maritime environment in which Ukrainian forces operate.
“We are facing mostly unmanned systems threats. Our main task and our main focus is to protect our ships and port infrastructure against unmanned systems,” he explained.
Cdre Kovalenko also gave a sobering reminder of the scale of threat Ukraine continues to face.
“The whole nation, the whole country is a target, and we are dealing with an adversary that has no restrictions at all. We are struggling for the survival of the nation.”
Sea Breeze 2025 served not only as a critical training ground for mine-clearing operations but as a powerful show of unity and readiness among NATO partners and Ukraine, a demonstration that, despite the challenges, international maritime cooperation remains strong.
