Large military exercises involving 30,000 NATO and Partner troops began in Norway today amid a crisis between the West and Russia over the war in Ukraine.
The long-designed Cold Response 2022 high schools are intended to test Norway’s ability to receive external assistance in the event of a third country attack, under Article 5 of the NATO Charter, which forces its members to rush to the aid of one of the its members.
“They are defensive gymnasiums,” said Ingve Odlo, the head of the Norwegian business administration, which runs the gymnasiums. “It’s not an offensive military operation,” he told TV2.
Naval, air, amphibious and land exercises, which take place every two years, take place in very large parts of Norwegian territory, including the area above the Arctic Circle, but remain several hundred kilometers from the Russian-Norwegian border.
Russia has rejected the offer to send observers. “Strengthening NATO’s military capabilities near the border with Russia does not help enhance security in the region,” its embassy in Oslo said last week.
The Russians “completely legally developed the ability to monitor” the high schools and “I really hope that they will abide by the existing agreements,” said General Odlo.
As in previous times, Sweden and Finland are participating in the Cold Response 2022 high schools, which are not militarily aligned but have approached NATO in recent years. The Russian invasion provoked the resumption of talks on their possible accession to the Alliance.
The exercises, which will also involve 200 aircraft and about 50 ships and run until April 1st, began with operations at sea and the launch on the ground of a section of the French Rapid Reaction Force, led by France this year.
Nearly 3,300 French soldiers and Dixmude amphibious helicopters have been announced to take part.
SOURCE: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ
Source: Capital
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