Bulgarian expert: "If Russia decides to challenge NATO, it will happen in the Black Sea." How preparations are being made

Friday, Jun 21, 2024

HotNews

NATO forces are insufficient in the Black Sea, making it vulnerable to Russian threats despite Eastern flank deployments.

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[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]

NATO forces are deemed insufficient in the Black Sea, which is considered highly vulnerable to Russian threats, according to Yordan Bozhilov, President of the Sofia Security Forum and former Deputy Minister of Defence. While NATO has accelerated its deterrence and defense posture following Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, focusing heavily on the Baltic region due to unified strong voices there, the Black Sea remains a significant concern. The Bulgarian and Romanian military forces are preparing for increased NATO presence through combat groups; Romania plans to develop its group into a brigade of around 4,000 soldiers by 2025, coordinated by France, while Bulgaria is developing its group under Italian command. Both countries are establishing necessary infrastructure, with Romania building a major NATO base in the region. Bozhilov emphasizes that greater cooperation between Bulgaria and Romania is essential for strengthening NATO’s defense capabilities in the Black Sea.

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