NATO announced Thursday the launch next week of a vast military exercise, the largest “in decades”, which will last several months and involve some 90,000 Alliance soldiers.
“This will be a clear demonstration of our unity, our strength and our determination to protect each other,” declared the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe (Saceur), American General Christopher Cavoli, during a press conference, as the two years since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approach.
This exercise will take the form of a conflict scenario against an “adversary of comparable size”, according to NATO terminology, thus designating Russia without naming it. It will notably include the reinforcement on the European continent of troops “from North America”, General Cavoli said.
Some 50 warships, 80 aircraft and 1,100 combat vehicles of all kinds will take part. This is the most important “war game” since the “Reforger” exercise in 1988, then in the middle of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the Atlantic Alliance.
“This is a record in terms of the number of soldiers,” said Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer, head of the NATO military committee, which brings together heads of state, during the same press conference. majority of the 31 member countries of the organization.
Since the launch of the large-scale Russian offensive in Ukraine on February 22, 2022, the Atlantic Alliance has considerably strengthened its defenses on the Eastern Front, sending thousands of men there.
On the ground in Ukraine, Russian ground forces suffered very severe damage, said Rob Bauer, stressing, however, that the Russian navy and air force remained “considerable” forces.
“Intense fighting” is still taking place there but, “although the Russian attacks are devastating, they are not significant from a military point of view,” he said.
Last year, the world may have been a little too optimistic and it is therefore “important that in 2024 we are not too pessimistic”, warned this senior Alliance official.