NATO is set to conduct its most extensive military exercises in Western Europe since the end of the Cold War, with the aim of bolstering its readiness against potential threats.
These maneuvers, dubbed “Steadfast Defender,” are scheduled for February and March 2024 and will span regions in Germany, Poland, and the Baltic states that share borders with Russia, RT reports.
Featuring approximately 41,000 troops, over 50 naval vessels, and anticipated to include between 500 and 700 air combat missions, these exercises seek to simulate NATO’s response capabilities to a fictitious enemy coalition called ‘Occasus.’
However, as NATO officials remarked to the Financial Times, these drills are unequivocally “seen as a key part of demonstrating to Moscow that the alliance is prepared to fight.”
In an unexpected move, NATO has plans to organize two significant war games annually instead of their usual one.
Alongside traditional military exercises, the focus will also extend to counterterrorism operations beyond the alliance’s territories.
Sweden, which formally applied to become a NATO member last year, will also be participating in these drills.
However, the Nordic country’s membership bid remains in a state of uncertainty due to reservations from both Turkey and Hungary, stemming from bilateral disagreements.
Last June, against the backdrop of the escalating conflict in Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg proclaimed that the alliance would station 300,000 troops.
He characterized this deployment as the “biggest overhaul of our collective defense and deterrence since the Cold War.”
Russian authorities, in contrast, have continuously voiced their concerns regarding NATO’s expanding military presence.
They assert that this amplification in NATO activities not only poses a direct threat but also necessitates Russia to implement heightened security measures.
Additionally, Moscow has time and again cautioned the alliance against any further expansion approaching Russian frontiers.
In a direct statement, President Vladimir Putin pointed out that a primary catalyst for the turmoil in Ukraine was the looming possibility of Kiev’s potential accession to the alliance, emphasizing the risks of such an eventuality.
