Ilya Kramnik, a research fellow at IMEMO RAS, comments for International Reporters on the current NATO exercises Dynamic Manta, which are taking place now in the Mediterranean Sea. He also explains what Russia’s reaction to these exercises could be.
“The Dynamic Manta exercises are an annual combat training event for NATO naval forces, primarily in the Mediterranean Sea. Their main task is to practice anti-submarine operations. The 2026 exercises involve the fleets of 10 countries: the UK, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Canada, Portugal, the USA, Turkey, and France. Among other things, the use of underwater drones is planned.
Like similar exercises in the Atlantic, Dynamic Mongoose, which differ from ‘Manta’ in that they are primarily focused on countering nuclear submarines, these exercises are of great interest to Russia. NATO’s anti-submarine technology, methods, and techniques for using this equipment are constantly being studied by us, and the latest maneuvers will clearly not go unnoticed. What form this attention will take is difficult to say; such information is rarely disclosed, but the appearance of one of our reconnaissance ship in the exercise area is quite possible,” explains Kramnik.
