A British Brigadier General commented on these Alliance exercises: "The fact that we are doing this so close to Russia makes it clear why it is so important to be here".
NATO troops conduct from the Baltics to the Balkans the largest military exercises since the end of the Cold War. As part of the exercises, Western armies learn to fight taking into account the experience of Ukraine. And the Alliance does not hide the fact that they are preparing to confront the Russian army.
This is stated in the article by The Independent.
So, the Swift Response training mission is being carried out by British-led forces in Estonia. It is noted that this is happening against the backdrop of an increasingly acute confrontation with Russia after its President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
“Apache attack helicopters are firing in support of troops on the ground storming Russian positions.A series of fortified trenches were cleared in fierce close combat, and a counterattack was repelled using drones and missiles,” the publication describes one of the training battles.
Standing on a marshy field in north-central Estonia – two hours' tank ride from the Russian border – the commander of British forces in the Baltics, Brigadier Giles Harris has no doubt about the need to deal with clear and present threat from the Kremlin.
“This is very urgent. I will not speculate on what may or may not happen. Our job as military personnel is to be prepared. There is no point in waiting (…), we must prepare now. And what's happening in Ukraine gives us lessons we need to learn,” Harris said.
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He added that the essence of military exercises is that regardless of whether it is today, tomorrow or next year, “we must be as prepared as possible, we must make ourselves as ready as possible. We are ready to defend every inch of Estonian soil, if necessary.”
“In the minds of the soldiers, the strategic purpose and context in which we are conducting these exercises has certainly changed [from regular exercises]. The fact that we are doing this so close to Russia, makes it clear why it is so important to be here,” remarked the British Brigadier.
At the same time, the commander of the 16th Air Assault Brigade, Brigadier General Mark Berry, emphasized that the exercise is not just a show of force.
“I do not consider any activity my Soldiers undertake to be a performance. My role is to ensure that Soldiers have adequate training opportunities and feel ready to work with allies or on their own.” – said Berry.
As stated in the publication, current events in Ukraine are analyzed and used to calibrate war games, from various uses of drones and cyber warfare to countering mass advances of the type that Russian troops use in battles, such as “meat assaults” ” in Bakhmuti in Donbass.
By the way, neutral European countries, including Austria, Ireland, Switzerland and Malta, sent a joint letter to NATO with a request to strengthen cooperation amid the worsening situation after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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