Russia says NATO drills 'provocative', highlights defensive abilities
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Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister says that the Russian military is monitoring the NATO drill exercises.
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Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko looks on during a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, August 31, 2023.(AP)
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko commented today on the Nordic Response exercises that are set to take place across Finland, Sweden, and Norway.
“The military is monitoring, we have all the necessary means for this. Our political position is well known. We believe that these exercises are demonstratively provocative,” he stated.
He further stressed, “Any exercises, especially [those] that are held geographically close to the contact line, increase the risk of military incidents. Therefore, all necessary measures have been taken in order to ensure the defense capabilities of Russia."
NATO launched largest-ever military exercise since Cold War
NATO declared on January 22 its most extensive military exercise since the Cold War, which marked a significant display of strength as a US warship set sail from the US to European alliance territory across the Atlantic.
Approximately 90,000 troops were set to participate in the months-long Steadfast Defender 24 exercise which began on January 22 and will remain until May 31, a strategic move by NATO to evaluate and fortify its capabilities in light of Russia's ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
The simulation, designed to replicate the alliance's response to a potential attack, ranges from North America to NATO's eastern flank near the Russian border, involving 50 naval vessels, 80 aircraft, and over 1,100 combat vehicles.
These drills also include NATO's newcomer, Finland, which joined the alliance last year, and the alliance's tight relations with Sweden, which is expected to join it in March.
