NATO's largest exercise since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Steadfast Defender, will begin next week, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Christopher Cavoli, has announced, Reuters reports.
According to him, 90,000 troops from all NATO countries, as well as Sweden, will take part in the maneuvers. They will work out a scenario of the beginning of the Third World War.
The exercises will last several months in Germany, Poland and the Baltic states, including on the border with the Kaliningrad region of Russia, and will end in May.
"The alliance will demonstrate its ability to defend the Euro-Atlantic region by moving forces from North America to Europe," Cavoli said.
NATO's opponent in the exercise will be the non-existent Occasus state, similar to Russia, ABC reports. According to the scenario, it will attack one of the members of the Alliance, which will provoke the third world war. At least 500 air combat operations are planned during the exercise.
"This will be a clear demonstration of transatlantic unity and strength, as well as the determination to continue to do whatever is necessary to mutually defend our shared values and the rules-based international order," NATO said in a communique.
Earlier, the UK announced that it would send 20,000 troops to the exercise. In addition, the maneuvers will involve an aircraft carrier strike group of eight ships and submarines led by the Queen Elizabeth class flagship, as well as F-35 Lightning fighters and Poseidon P8 surveillance aircraft.
Since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, NATO has increased its response capability on the eastern flank from 40,000 to 300,000 troops.
Earlier, intelligence agencies in several Western countries, including Germany, Sweden, Poland, and the United Kingdom, warned that Putin was building up the potential for a war with the Alliance that could begin in a few years.
Background. Putin's recent statements that Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia's policies toward Russian citizens "directly threaten the security" of Russia may be preparations for a possible attack on the Baltic states, the Institute for the Study of War recently wrote.
The German Ministry of Defense is considering the possibility of a Russian attack on NATO's eastern flank in the summer of 2025.