Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The strike targeted a motorcycle; one injury reported
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli drone strike targets the town of Majdalzoun
Free Patriotic Movement in Lebanon leader Gebran Bassil: Anyone participating in the [Lebanese] government and holding a sovereign ministry must not turn a deaf ear to the sound of drones, nor label aggression as self-defense
Free Patriotic Movement in Lebanon leader Gebran Bassil: Those who truly want Lebanon to remain 10,452 square kilometers must not turn a blind eye to "Israel’s" occupation of five new sites and the demolition of homes
Sheikh Qassem: "Israel" will not be able to maintain presence [in Lebanon], and God willing, we shall rebuild our homeland and villages, forging ahead with both construction and liberation hand in hand
Sheikh Qassem: We engaged in the municipal elections with a national spirit, a unifying vision, and a developmental spirit; we do not seek to exclude any component; rather, we extended our hand to everyone
Sheikh Qassem: A stable Lebanon benefits both Lebanon and others, and no one should extort us in terms of the country's reconstruction
Sheikh Qassem: We are a cornerstone in every advancement in Lebanon; our fingerprints are present in every milestone, and we are an inseparable part of every positive development it witnesses
Sheikh Qassem: I advise President Trump to seize the opportunity and free himself from the burden of "Israel"
Sheikh Qassem: No one can uproot the Resistance from Lebanese soil, for it is woven into the very fabric of Lebanon, and the essence of Lebanon stands firmly upon the pillar of resistance

NATO begins military drills near Russian border

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 17 May 2022 14:13
  • 7 Shares
4 Min Read

Troops from 14 countries, including the United States, Sweden, Finland, and Ukraine, are participating in massive exercises in Estonia.

  • x
  • NATO begins military drills near Russian border.
    NATO begins military drills near the Russian border.

On Monday, large-scale NATO military training began in Estonia. According to the military alliance, the 'Hedgehog 2022' exercise is one of the largest in the Baltic nation's history. The drills will involve 15,000 troops from 14 countries, including members of the military blocs as well as their partners.

Soldiers from Finland, Sweden, Georgia, and Ukraine will take part in the exercise, according to the Finnish public radio Yle. According to the broadcaster, the drills will encompass all branches of the armed forces and will entail air, sea, and land exercises, as well as cyber warfare training.

According to a NATO statement, the drills would also include the participation of the US Navy Wasp-class landing ship 'Kearsarge.' Both the military bloc and the deputy commander of the Estonian Defense Forces, Major General Veiko-Vello Palm, have denied that the maneuvers near the Russian border had anything to do with Moscow's continuing military operation in Ukraine.

The drills began barely a day after Finland and Sweden officially announced their intentions to join NATO, and were planned long before the war in Ukraine erupted, according to Western sources.

However, the drills in Estonia are only one component of NATO's large-scale military activities near the Russian border. Lithuania, another Baltic state, is hosting the 'Iron Wolf' exercise, which includes 3,000 NATO troops and 1,000 pieces of military equipment, including German Leopard 2 tanks.

NATO exercises in Poland 

Related News

EU to impose higher tariffs on Ukrainian agricultural goods in June

Poland open for talks on French nuclear shield treaty

According to a NATO statement issued on Friday, two of NATO's largest exercises - 'Defender Europe' and 'Swift Response' – are taking place in Poland and eight other countries, involving 18,000 troops from 20 nations.

“Exercises like these show that NATO stands strong and ready to protect our nations and defend against any threat,” the military bloc’s spokesperson, Oana Lungescu, said, adding that the drills “help to remove any room for miscalculation or misunderstanding about our resolve to protect and defend every inch of allied territory.”

The NATO Response Force is now participating in the 'Wettiner Heide' drills in Germany with a force of 7,500 people. The 'Neptune series' naval drills featuring the USS 'Harry S. Truman' carrier strike group, which will be placed under NATO command, are scheduled to take place in the Mediterranean Sea.

However, according to NATO, this will be only the second time since the Cold War's conclusion that a US carrier group has been brought under the military bloc's direction.

In June, the Baltic States and Poland will host what NATO describes as “Europe’s largest integrated air and missile defense exercise,” which would involve 23 nations.

NATO naval drills 

Finland held NATO naval drills in late April. It is now also hosting a joint land exercise in which forces from the United States, the United Kingdom, Estonia, and Latvia are taking part.

Massive military drills are taking place amid rising tensions between Russia, NATO, and some of the military alliance's allies. Finland, which shares a lengthy border with Russia, and Sweden agreed to reexamine their long-standing policy of non-alignment in the aftermath of the war on Ukraine.

The announcement provoked a surge of condemnation from Moscow, which warned that if Finland and Sweden joined NATO, it would have to respond. Moscow also thinks that NATO expansion is a direct danger to national security.

  • Poland
  • Estonia
  • Nato
  • Finland
  • Ukraine
  • Russia
Russia & NATO

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?

Most Read

Rachel Accurso criticized for speaking out on Gaza children crisis

Ms. Rachel accused of antisemitism for speaking out for Gaza children

  • Politics
  • 20 May 2025
Martyrs, injuries in violent Israeli bombardment of southern Gaza

Israeli operation fails; IOF launch violent strikes on Gaza

  • Politics
  • 19 May 2025
The spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, giving a statement on Friday, April 11, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemeni Armed Forces declare Haifa Port under naval siege

  • Politics
  • 20 May 2025
A 3D render of China's planned 'drone mothership' Credit: X/@XH_Lee23

China unveils drone mothership capable of swarm attacks

  • US & Canada
  • 20 May 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
'Paddystinian’: A proud label for Irish activists
Palestine

'Paddystinian': How slur became badge of Irish pro-Gaza solidarity

A Gaza Tribunal booklet at the Gaza Tribunal's launch in London, United Kingdom, November 4 2024 (Gaza Tribunal)
Politics

Gaza tribunal to probe Israeli genocide, war crimes opens in Sarajevo

Chinese military personnel line up during the Golden Dragon military exercise in Svay Chok village, Kampong Chhnang province, north of Phnom Penh Cambodia, Thursday, May 30, 2024 (AP)
Politics

US forces at critical juncture in era of rising Chinese power

US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump tensions
US & Canada

US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump pressures

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS