Visit of NATO Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 1
23.04.2026
The flagship of the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1), ORP "Kontradmirał Xawery Czernicki”, visited the port of Stockholm from 19 to 22 April 2026r.
Since 8 January, Poland has assumed command of SNMCMG1. The group consists of four vessels: ENS Ugandi (Estonia), BNS Primula (Belgium), HNLMS Schiedam (the Netherlands), and ORP Czernicki, which serves as the command ship. The commander of the group is Lieutenant Commander Kacper Sterne.
The main task of the NATO Standing Mine Countermeasures Group is to ensure the safety of navigation, strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure, and maintain readiness to respond to potential acts of sabotage within the framework of the Baltic Sentry operation. The naval forces may also be deployed in support of counterterrorism operations, search and rescue missions, and crisis response activities.
During the visit to Stockholm on 21 April, a formal reception was held aboard ORP Czernicki, attended by Ambassador Karolina Ostrzyniewska, representatives of the Royal Swedish Navy, the Swedish Ministry of Defence, defence attachés accredited in Sweden, as well as officers and non-commissioned officers serving on board the vessel.
