Bamberg

On Oct 19, the 'Bamberg' along with a Danish patrol boat was deployed to monitor the Russian landing craft "Aleksandr Shabalin", which dropped east of Fehmarn island in close proximity to Staberhuk lighthouse. Since the drone incidents in August and September, the landing craft has been under increased surveillance. When drones were spotted in Danish airspace over airfields, the "Aleksandr Shabalin" was nearvy. However, there is no concrete evidence so far. This is also the reason why the Russian ship is being closely monitored. In September, the landing craft also temporarily anchored west of Fehmarn at the intersection of the Kiel-Baltic Sea Route and the Great Belt southeast of Langeland. It is allowed to be there because it is outside German territorial waters. The German Navy had deployed the tender "Werra" from Kiel for observation. In addition to the "Aleksandr Shabalin," the Russian destroyer "Vice-Admiral Kulakov" has also been keeping the Federal Police and Navy busy for weeks. The destroyer arrived in the Baltic Sea in May from the Northern Fleet in Murmansk to reinforce the Baltic Fleet. Since then, it has appeared off Fehmarn eight times. The destroyer alternated with the landing ship and a reconnaissance vessel. The question as to the reason for this presence suggests a pattern that also has to do with the shadow fleet tankers and Russian military transports. The Russian Navy is using naval units in the Baltic Sea to target certain sea areas and position them there, according to Johannes Peters, head of the Maritime Strategy and Security Department at the Institute for Security Policy at the Kiel University. The proximity to the sea routes is no coincidence. The presence of Russian units near Fehmarn also has an impact on fishing and research. The Kiel based research vessels "Alkor" and "Littorina" had to maintain a considerable distance from the Russian units during their current voyages. Reports with photos and video: https://segelreporter.com/panorama/russisches-landungsschiff-in-luebecker-bucht-was-dahinter-steckt-worauf-segler-achten-sollten/ https://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/ausland/krisen/id_100969342/putins-kriegsflotte-marineschiff-aleksandr-shabalin-vor-luebecker-bucht.html

On Oct 14, units of the Danish Home Force along with the German patrol boats' Bamberg' and 'Rhön 2' (MMSI: 211179240) were deployed to monitor the troubled Russian submarine ' Novorossiysk', which was limping through the Great Belt probably towards St. Petersburg, escorted by the salvage tug "Yakov Grebelskiy' at an extremely slowly speed of six to eight knots, repeatedly emitting large smoke clouds. The Danish Navy has deployed the patrol boats "Diana-P 520" (MMSI: 220434000) and "Najaden P 523" (MMSI: 220434000) for surveillance. The "Yakov Grebelskiy"s crew also positioned weapons ready for use on the bow of the ship during the passage through the Great Belt. The Russian Navy claimed that the submarine had no serious problems. The reports of technical problems on board the boat first appeared on Russian Telegram channels. The Telegram channel VChK-OGPU reported that fuel had leaked into the boat's hull. There was talk of a risk of explosion. Reports with photos: https://www.kn-online.de/schleswig-holstein/das-russische-u-boot-novorossiysk-passiert-den-grossen-belt-DOSAOTKMIBAI7MDMS5GWBDLKY4.html https://www.vg.no/nyheter/i/gwgll9/det-svenske-forsvaret-foelger-russisk-ubaat

On the morning of June 18, 2025, the motor yacht "Joy" reported water ingress in the Baltic Sea, en route from Świnoujście to Peenemünde. At around 8:20 a.m., the MRCC in Bremen requested the "Bamberg" for assistance., which changed course and sent the patrol boat "Navis 206" to the reported position, about five nautical miles south of Greifswalder Oie. At 8:50 a.m., the "Navis 206" reached the "Joy." An officer boarded and determined that the flooding had stopped. The cause was a defective seawater cooling water line. Shortly thereafter, the sea rescue cruiser "Berthold Beitz" arrived and took the "Joy" in tow. The operation ended at 9:21 a.m.

On March 17, 2025, the 'Esbern Snare' was shadowing two Russian landing ships, which have been involved in the retrieval of military equipment withdrawn from Syria since Dec 2024. The "Aleksandr Oktrakovski" was sailing south of Bornholm and headed west. The reason was unclear. The operation in Syria is actually considered over. The ships are equipped with large anchors, which actually intended to make it easier for ships to leave the beach during amphibious operations. However, since traces of anchors have repeatedly been found in connection with severed submarine cables in the Baltic Sea, authorities have paid particular attention to the Russian Navy's large tank landing ships. According to maritime law, there is a specific corridor that Russian Navy ships are permitted to use through the North and Baltic Seas. However, this route passes very close to German and Danish wind farms, including various power and data cables, that's why Denmark's Navy paid particular attention to the "Aleksandr Otrakovski" and dispatched the frigate from Korsør to escort the ship from Bornholm. Off Rügen, the German task force vessel "Bamberg" participated in observing the Russian ship. The units moved behind the landing ship so that they could see the anchor at the stern using night vision technology. Off the Fehmarn Belt, the task force vessel "Bayreuth" replaced the "Bamberg," and the patrol boat "Rota-P 525'" took over the "Esbern Snare"'s duties on the Danish side. According to the Federal Police, there were no incidents. The landing craft passed Puttgarden on Fehmarn on Feb 18 at 6 a.m. It was the third Russian naval vessel within a few days. On March 13, the destroyer "Severomorsk" and on March 17, the research vessel "Admiral Vladimirsky," suspected of conducting hybrid warfare, were shadowed. The next Russian units in these sea areas are expected on March 20, including the landing craft "Ropucha" and the "Aleksandr Shabalin," which has been shadowed by the Federal Police ship "Potsdam" in the North Sea west of Sylt since the morning of March 18, which means that three of the Federal Police's seven ships are currently engaged with the Russian Navy, posing challenges for the police, which are being met jointly in close cooperation with neighbouring authorities and international partners in these. Report with photos: https://www.kn-online.de/schleswig-holstein/russlands-marine-beschaeftigt-bundespolizei-zeitgleich-auf-nordsee-und-ostsee-SX264H6GIZBGBHD42VI3K7AL5I.html