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Baltic Sea

The Baltic Sea is part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered by nine countries, including Germany. Important coastal cities include St. Petersburg and Stockholm.

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All Content on this topic

DW Focus on Europe Sendungslogo

Focus on Europe — Spotlight on People

A new law in Georgia is sparking fear in the LGBTQ+ community.
SocietyOctober 31, 202426:04 min
Activists swimming in the Baltic Sea in front of a ship carrying Russian oil, holding up a banner reading 'no money for war'

Russian oil tankers threaten Baltic Sea environment

Hundreds of Russian oil tankers pass through the Baltic Sea. Many of them are dilapidated and uninsured.
Nature and EnvironmentOctober 31, 2024
A panoramic view of German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius speaking to reporters in front of the new NATO command center in Rostock

Why Russia is upset over a new German naval base

Russia says the new naval command center in Rostock violates an agreement keeping foreign troops out of eastern Germany.
PoliticsOctober 23, 202403:00 min
Military personnel look at an image of the new CTF Baltic logo

Germany rejects Russian criticism of new naval headquarters

Russia threatened "a corresponding response" and "extremely negative consequences" for Germany over a new Baltic Sea HQ.
ConflictsOctober 22, 2024
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Putin's Fleet: Russian espionage in the Baltic Sea

Western intelligence services are warning of the threat of a Russian shadow war against European states. Germany is possibly one of the targets of this hybrid warfare. Authorities have observed suspicious ship movements in the Baltic Sea.
PoliticsOctober 22, 202428:34 min
A member of the German military with a heavy machine gun

Germany inaugurates new naval HQ on the Baltic Sea

The Command Task Force (CTF), headquartered in Rostock, is intended to boost NATO’s defense readiness in the region.
PoliticsOctober 21, 2024
A laptop sits on a chair. The laptop screen shows a ship.

Russia's spy ships comb the Baltic sea

Under the guise of research, Russian ships are spying on Western infrastructure.
ConflictsOctober 18, 202407:10 min
Soldiers stand on a boat bearing the German flag

Fact check: NATO presence does not breach German law

Social media users say a German-led NATO naval unit in Rostock violates the reunification-era Two-Plus-Four Treaty.
PoliticsOctober 17, 2024
US armed forces personnel standing by their military vehicles

Sweden approves controversial US defense deal

The US Defense Cooperation Agreement with Sweden grants the US access to 17 Swedish military bases.
PoliticsJune 19, 2024
DW "Eco Africa" Sendungslogo mit Partnerlogos (Composite)

Eco Africa — The Environment Magazine

Greening bricks and wind turbines in Uganda and Sweden, ending food waste in Lagos, and growing hope in Niger.
Nature and EnvironmentMay 16, 202426:06 min
Foreign Minister Tobias Billström comments on reports that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has invited Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to negotiate Swedens NATO application on January 23, 2024.

Sweden joining NATO bolsters Baltic Sea security — Billstrom

Sweden and Finland joining NATO will "significantly" boost Baltic Sea security and stability, Tobias Billstrom told DW.
PoliticsMarch 22, 2024
DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

What is the Alaskapox virus?

Deep in a remote forest, a sick, elderly man got scratched by a stray cat — and likely died as a result.
ScienceFebruary 15, 202415:38 min
This artist's depiction shows what the wall might have looked like before the area was flooded

Germany: Ice-age stone wall found under Baltic Sea

Researchers believe they have found the oldest man-made structure in the Baltic Sea region.
HistoryFebruary 13, 2024
Beach at Ahlbeck on the island of Usedom, Germany

10 reasons to love Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

From the waves and islands of the Baltic Sea to the rivers and lakes, it's as if it was made for holiday fun!
TravelJanuary 11, 202410 images
Meeresalgen als Nahrungsmittel geeignet

The push to grow seaweed on a large scale in Europe

Algae are versatile and can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But space is getting tight along coastlines.
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 18, 202303:41 min
The grounded ferry Marco Polo

Grounded ferry off Swedish coast remains adrift, leaking oil

More oil has leaked from a passenger ferry that ran aground off the coast of southern Sweden a week ago.
CatastropheOctober 29, 2023
Berlin | Solidaritäts-Demo zu Israel am Brandenburger Tor

Focus on Europe - Spotlight on People

Hamas terror attacks concern Israelis and Jews abroad.
SocietyOctober 19, 202326:05 min
DW Sendung Fokus Europa | Dänemark – vergiftete Ostsee

Denmark: Eutrophication in the Baltic Sea

Fish are dying in the Vejle Fjord due to algae growth in the Baltic Sea.
Nature and EnvironmentOctober 19, 202305:22 min
Finnish Border Guard patrolling the site where a gas pipeline from Finland to Estonia was damaged

Sweden reports damage to Baltic Sea cable with Estonia

Sweden said its cable with Estonia was damaged at roughly the same time as a Finnish-Estonian pipeline and cable.
ConflictsOctober 17, 2023
Doku | Tatort Ostsee: Wer sprengte die Nord Stream-Pipelines?

Baltic Sea mystery - Who blew up the Nord Stream pipelines?

Over a year has passed since the bombing of the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.
ConflictsOctober 10, 202328:36 min
A pier stretches out into the Baltic Sea as the sun rises

What is the Three Seas Initiative and why is it expanding?

Greece is set to become the 13th member of the Three Seas Initiative at its summit in Bucharest.
PoliticsSeptember 6, 2023
A team of scientists and workers lower the wooden rudder of a 400-year-old ship onto the deck of a specialized vessel in the Trave River near Lübeck, Germany

German archaeologists unearth 400-year-old ship in Baltic

Scientists hope the wreck will give insight into Lübeck's role at the center of the Hanseatic League.
ScienceAugust 1, 2023
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Toxic chemicals from weapons threaten Baltic Sea

In the Baltic, weapons dumped on the seabed decades ago are reaching a critical stage of decay.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 31, 202302:48 min
Hundreds of tourists on the beach of Sellin on a sunny day

10 reasons to visit the Baltic Sea

The Baltic Sea is a popular vacation destination for Germans. Here's how people enjoy the sun, sand and summer fun.
TravelJune 19, 202310 images
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock

Germany's Baerbock emphasizes security in Baltic Sea region

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the war in Ukraine has been a turning point for the region.
PoliticsJune 2, 2023
A campsite surrounded by meadows, trees and the Alps in southern Germany

Germany's most beautiful campsites

Rising temperatures and longer days make for ideal camping conditions. Here are our 10 favorite German campsites.
TravelMay 15, 202310 images
Russian Sukhoi Su-27 in flight, pictured from below

German Air Force intercepts Russian jets over Baltic Sea

The Luftwaffe said it had identified three aircraft on reconnaissance flights.
ConflictsApril 26, 2023
EU and Chinese flags

China distances itself from envoy comments after EU outrage

China's ambassador to France caused uproar by questioning ex-Soviet states' sovereignty. What's next for EU-China ties?
PoliticsApril 24, 2023
Clean-up crews work to contain an oil spill from a pipeline in the Kiel Canal in northern Germany

Germany: Oil spill shuts down key shipping lane

The Kiel Canal, a vital shipping route linking the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, came to a halt following an oil spill.
Nature and EnvironmentDecember 23, 2022
A large leak in the sea can be observed off the coast of the Danish island of Bornholm Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022 following a series of unusual leaks on two natural gas pipelines running from Russia

Swedish military takes another look at Nord Stream blasts

The new probe was independent of the ongoing Swedish criminal investigation into the Baltic Sea leaks.
ConflictsOctober 26, 2022
Still from a Swedish surveillance video showing gas pouring into the Baltic Sea

Germany launches probe into suspected Nord Stream 'sabotage'

Germany has joined Denmark and Sweden in seeking clues behind massive leaks on the pipelines between Russia and Europe.
ConflictsOctober 10, 2022
View taken from a Danish F-16 interceptor of the Nord Stream 2 gas leak just south of Dueodde, Denmark

Nord Stream: Swedish probe 'strengthens' sabotage suspicions

The US and its allies have suggested that Moscow has the most to gain in wreaking havoc on Europe's energy markets.
PoliticsOctober 6, 2022
A picture showing bubbles escaping to the surface of the Baltic Sea

Baltic Sea gas leaks: Who's to blame?

Is there any evidence that Russia is behind the leaks detected in the pipelines?
BusinessSeptember 29, 2022
Satellite image of sea turbulence caused by leaking gas

EU vows stern response to any energy network sabotage

The EU says leaks found in pipelines carrying gas from Russia to Europe were likely caused by "unacceptable" sabotage.
PoliticsSeptember 28, 2022
Baltic Pipe

Baltic Pipe speeds up exit from Russian gas

Government representatives from Poland, Denmark and Norway have opened the new Baltic Pipe.
BusinessSeptember 27, 2022
A wind farm in the Baltic Sea, north-east of Germany's Rugen Island on June 17, 2022

Germany, Denmark sign renewable energy deal

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock met with her Danish counterpart over the plan to expand wind and hydrogen power.
BusinessAugust 26, 2022
Diver above timbers of the shipwreck

Slumbering shipwrecks on the bottom of the Baltic Sea

Discovery of a shipwreck near Lübeck: Why do centuries-old wrecks in the Baltic Sea hold up so well?
CultureAugust 9, 2022
About ten freight trains with cars lined up side by side on tracks that curve into the distance

Transit row between Russia, Lithuania heats up

Lithuania is enforcing EU sanctions and restricting traffic to the Kaliningrad exclave, despite Russia's threats.
ConflictsJune 23, 2022
View over water of buildings at the fishing village part of Kaliningrad city

Why is Kaliningrad so important to Russia?

How did Russia come to control the Kaliningrad exclave, and what's its significance in the Ukraine war? DW explains.
PoliticsJune 22, 2022
Annalena Baerbock wearing a face mask

Baltic Sea countries rally against Russia

The Council of the Baltic Sea States is meeting during the invasion of Ukraine. It's a test of leadership for Germany.
ConflictsMay 25, 2022
Beach with a statue of liberty, and a pier with lit buildings

NY Philharmonic concerts take new meaning

The New York Philharmonic's concerts at the Usedom Music Festival are held in a location where Nazi weapons were built.
MusicMay 20, 2022
Windmills surrounded by greenery on a sunny day

Exploring Eastern Europe: Lithuania

We present the most popular tourist countries in the region. Today our insider tip is Lithuania.
TravelApril 20, 202211 images
Baltic Sea Philharmonic Orchestra

Russian arts funding and the Ukraine war

The Baltic Sea Philharmonic was founded to musically connect the nations adjoining the Baltic Sea. Initiator and sponsor: the Russian pipeline operator Nord Stream 2. Should this cultural partnership be re-evaluated in light of the Ukraine war?
CultureMarch 19, 202206:49 min
British troops in Estonia as part of a NATO mission

More NATO troops needed from 'Baltic to Black Sea'

Baltic leaders meeting in Berlin called for a bolstered NATO troop presence on the alliance's eastern flank.
ConflictsFebruary 10, 2022
Danish cargo ship Karin Hoej capsized after colliding with British cargo ship Scot Carrier, between Ystad and Bornholm, on the Baltic Sea

Police make arrests after deadly Baltic Sea collision

One vessel capsized, with a crew member found dead and the other missing. Police have made 2 arrests.
CatastropheDecember 13, 2021
Ostsee Fischfang Kabeljau

Baltic Sea fishing dying as EU cuts quotas

To protect stocks Baltic fishing quotas were cut to an extent that they are no longer viable for coastal fishers.
BusinessDecember 13, 202102:37 min
Axel Schulz and Andre Domke with a wooden shovel of herring salad

German man sets record for massive herring salad

A restaurant owner from northeastern Germany has made it into the record books with his 147-kilogram herring salad bowl.
OffbeatNovember 7, 2021
A tornado funnel cloud seen in Kiel, Germany

Tornado lashes German port of Kiel

Local police say a large waterspout made landfall in the Baltic Sea city damaging property and injuring several people.
Nature and EnvironmentSeptember 29, 2021
An information center in a container with the map of the Nord Stream 2 route with flags representing which countries it bypasses near the natural gas receiving station of the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline

Last piece of Nord Stream 2 pipeline in place

Engineers have welded together the final piece of piping of the controversial conduit, operators say.
PoliticsSeptember 6, 2021
Guests crowd the beach on the Baltic coast

Baltic resorts stretched to their limits

German Baltic resorts are recording record visitor numbers, but staff shortages are slowing down summer business.
TravelAugust 4, 2021