NATO to begin biggest exercises since Cold War

Next week, the biggest NATO exercises since the end of the Cold War will begin. They will last for several months, and 90,000 military personnel will take part, Azernews reports, citing American General Christopher Cavoli, the supreme commander of NATO in Europe.

The Steadfast Defender maneuvers will begin next week and will last until the end of May. All NATO countries will participate in them — there are 31 of them — as well as Sweden, which is currently in the status of a candidate.

The exercises will work out actions in case of an attack by Russia on one of the NATO member countries. Such an attack will bring into force the fifth clause of the NATO treaty, which provides for collective protection. It has been used only once in history — after September 11, 2001.

Previously, the largest since the Cold War took place in 2018 in Norway, with about 51,000 military personnel taking part.

Steadfast Defender will take place in different countries, from North America to the eastern borders of NATO. 50 warships, 80 aircraft and more than 1,100 combat vehicles will take part.

The chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Rob Bauer, said that the scale of the exercises indicates a new degree of readiness for the alliance. In his opinion, civil society should be better prepared for a possible war with Russia.

"We must understand that peace is not guaranteed. That's why we have plans, that's why we are preparing for a conflict. We are not looking for conflict, but we must be ready in case of an attack," he said.

According to him, due to the war in Ukraine, Russia has significantly fewer ground forces, but air and sea forces are still strong.