Royal Marines storm the Faroe Islands in first British land exercise there since the Second World War amid Russian threat
From the Newshound archive · first published 1 October 2026 · last updated 2 October 2026.
Royal Marines conducting ship boarding drills in the Faroe Islands, part of Exercise Lion Protector 26 — the first British land exercise there since the Second World War, prompted by Russia's reported build-up of a new…A Royal Marine from UK Commando Force aboard a vessel during the Faroe Islands exercise, conducted alongside Danish troops as Russia reportedly builds a new shadow fleet to circumvent Western sanctions.Royal Marines climbing from a rigid inflatable boat onto a vessel in the Faroe Islands, as Exercise Lion Protector 26 spans the North Atlantic, High North and Baltic Sea.A Royal Marine from UK Commando Force on vessel during the Faroe Islands drills, which span the North Atlantic, High North and Baltic Sea as part of the wider exercise.
Royal Marines have carried out amphibious landings on the Faroe Islands alongside Danish forces — the first British land exercise there since World War Two. The operation is part of Exercise Lion Protector 26, a large-scale Joint Expeditionary Force deployment across the North Atlantic, High North and Baltic Sea. Defence secretary Wes Streeting is in Keflavik, Iceland, for talks with JEF counterparts, with Ukraine and Canada also represented, as discussions focus on countering Russian hybrid threats.
The Faroe Islands exercise is linked to Russia's 'shadow fleet', with eight ships now subject to new UK trade sanctions alongside asset freezes on 23 individuals.
