English Section

NATO launches biggest drills since Cold War next week

19.01.2024 11:00
NATO will next week kick off its biggest exercise since the Cold War for 90,000 troops, who will train quick-reaction deployment to Poland, among other measures.  
Photo:
Photo:PAP/DPA/Robert Michael

NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, gen. Christopher Cavioli, announced the drills in Brussels on Thursday, Polish Radio's polskieradio24.pl website reported.

Cavioli said Exercise Steadfast Defender 2024 would begin next week and run until May, featuring some 90,000 soldiers "from all 31 Allies" and Sweden.

NATO troops will train ways to respond to a "simulated emerging conflict scenario with a near-peer adversary", the alliance said.

Cavioli did not mention any country by name, but it is clear the scenario refers to Russia, polskieradio24.pl reported.

During the drills, NATO "will demonstrate its ability to reinforce the Euro-Atlantic area via trans-Atlantic movement of forces from North America," the commander told reporters.

He added the exercise would represent a "clear demonstration of our unity, strength, and determination to protect each other, our values and the rules based international order.

One of the key aspects of Exercise Steadfast Defender 2024 will be the "deployment of NATO's quick reaction force to Poland," on the alliance's eastern flank, the Reuters news agency reported. 

Other major locations include the Baltic states, Germany, Norway and Romania, according to officials. 

Exercise Steadfast Defender 2024 is NATO's biggest since 1988, the Reuters news agency reported. 

Friday is day 695 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.

Source: polskieradio24.pl, Reuters, NATO