The international command-post exercise „Coherent Resilience 2026 Northeast“ (CORE 26-NE), dedicated to the energy security and resilience of NATO’s northeastern flank, is beginning in Vilnius. The exercise will take place from 9 to 13 November and will bring together more than 100 representatives of Allied countries and partner nations.
The work will be conducted according to a pre-prepared scenario. Participants will examine situations related to the resilience of energy systems and discuss possible coordinated actions in response to risks to supplies and critical infrastructure.
Focus on five countries on the northeastern flank
Special attention will be paid to Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. The exercise will analyze the interdependence between regional electricity and gas networks, as well as vulnerabilities along energy supply chains.
The tasks also include seeking approaches to better protect critical energy infrastructure. According to NATO’s Energy Security Centre of Excellence, the exercise is intended to support the exchange of expert knowledge, risk assessment and the development of coordinated solutions.
„The CORE exercises, which have been organized for more than a decade, provide an opportunity for expert discussions, assessment of possible risks and the search for coordinated solutions on issues of regional energy security,“ said Lieutenant Colonel Jay Calvo, head of the Training and Exercises Department at NATO’s Energy Security Centre of Excellence.Preparations began in the spring
CORE 26-NE is a command-post, or tabletop, exercise that does not involve disrupting real energy networks. It is part of the CORE series, which has been held in different countries since 2014.
Preparations for this year’s edition began in April. The main conference for planning and developing the scenarios was held in Warsaw in June, while final coordination was completed in Vilnius in September.
The exercise is jointly organized by NATO’s Energy Security Centre of Excellence, the Cybersecurity and Digital Transformation Division at NATO Headquarters and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre.
Sources: lrt.lt, dailybaltic.com