NATO will begin its annual nuclear exercises on Monday, the alliance's Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Thursday amid increased nuclear rhetoric from Russian President Vladimir Putin. This is reported by Reuters,reports UNN.
Details
F-35A fighter jets and B-52 bombers will reportedly be among about 60 aircraft from 13 countries to take part in the Steadfast Noon exercise hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands, NATO officials said.
“In an uncertain world, it is vital that we test our defenses and strengthen them so that our adversaries know that NATO is ready and able to respond to any threat,” Rutte said in London after meetings with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“The exercise will focus on the UK, the North Sea, as well as Belgium and the Netherlands,” he added.
The exercise does not involve the use of live weapons. But about 2,000 troops participating in the exercise will simulate missions in which warplanes carry U.S. nuclear warheads, officials said.
Transatlantic military alliance officials say the exercise will begin Monday and last about two weeks.
Supplement
Putin has repeatedly warned the West of possible nuclear consequences after a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He said last month that russia could use nuclear weapons if struck by conventional missiles and that moscow would consider any attack on it with the backing of a nuclear power as a joint attack.
NATO officials emphasized that their exercises were not in response to any recent statements by Moscow and that they have been held annually for more than a decade.
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