Report, NATO's "largest exercises" since the Cold War

  NATO wants to stage its largest exercises since the Cold War era, involving tens of thousands of soldiers in Germany, Poland and the Baltics, a report says. NATO Steadfast Defender, its largest exercise since the Cold War, will take place in Germany, Poland and the Baltics in February and March 2024, the Financial Times reports, citing alliance officials. More than 41 thousand soldiers will take part in the maneuvers, who will practice repelling "Russian aggression against one of the members of the alliance" of NATO. The exercise is expected to involve 500 to 700 combat aircraft sorties and the participation of more than 50 ships, the sources said. A total of 32 countries will take part in the exercises, including Sweden, whose request to join NATO has not yet been ratified by Turkey and Hungary.

In the legend of the exercise, the Russian-led coalition is called Occasus. “The exercise is also a first in terms of technical capabilities, using real-world geographic data to create more realistic troop scenarios,” the newspaper writes. Under the new strategy, NATO will conduct two major exercises each year instead of just one, as well as training to counter terrorist threats beyond its borders, the FT notes. NATO officials say the exercises are seen as a key part of demonstrating to Moscow that the alliance is ready to fight.