Large-scale military exercises have started in the north of NATO: Russia has already responded

Nordice Response started/Collage Channel 24

On Monday, March 4, large-scale military exercises began near the border with Russia. Nordic Response 24 will continue in the northern regions of Finland, Norway and Sweden.

NATO begins exercises to defend its newly expanded territory. More than 20 thousand soldiers from 13 countries take part in them. By the way, Russia has already responded.

What is known about Nordic Response

NATO military exercises are chaired by Norway. The publication noted that Finland is participating in NATO joint defense exercises for the first time as a member of a defense alliance.

NATO Nordic Response exercises have started: watch the video

AR writes that according to the Finnish military, in the Nordic exercises Response-2024 involves more than 4 thousand Finnish soldiers. Interestingly, this is the largest participation of a newcomer country in foreign exercises in the entire history of the North Atlantic Alliance.

For the first time, Finland as a NATO member will participate in exercises for the collective defense of the regions of the Alliance, said its Defense Forces.

By the way, for many years, NATO exercises, which are held twice a year in the Arctic regions of northern Norway , had the name Cold Response, that is, “Cold response”.

However, thanks to the expansion of NATO to Finland, and subsequently Sweden, we are expanding the exercise to Nordic Response, the Norwegian Armed Forces said.

13 countries take part in the exercises

This year the exercises are equally divided between Finland, Norway and Sweden. They will last until March 15. Belgium, Great Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United States are taking part in the exercise.

The Norwegian military reported that half of the troops participating in the exercise will train on land. The rest are at sea, involving more than 50 submarines, frigates, corvettes, aircraft carriers and various landing craft. And also in the air with the participation of more than 100 fighter aircraft, transport aircraft, maritime reconnaissance aircraft and helicopters.

The Norwegian military also noted that the joint exercise will focus on the defense and defense of the Scandinavian region .

How the aggressor country reacted

Kremlin propagandists have already issued a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Russia is monitoring the ongoing NATO exercises Nordic Response, they are demonstratively provocative in nature, the country’s Foreign Ministry said. aggressor.

Russian attack on Allied territory: Steadfast Defender exercises

• Note that on January 24, the largest NATO exercise in recent decades started. We are talking about Steadfast Defender.
• The Steadfast Defender maneuver scenario is a Russian attack on Allied territory, which triggers Article 5 of the NATO collective defense treaty.
• This exercise will continue until May 31st.