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Established in Norway, training camps bringing together men from all NATO member states allow them to practice and be ready in the event of an intervention. They are also an important window to show the cohesion of NATO.
To join the troops, you have to go deep into the middle of the Norwegian fir forests. After about ten kilometers, a military base where 30,000 NATO soldiers meet. 27 nationalities training side by side, in very cold conditions, with real ammunition. With the war in Ukraine, these long-planned exercises necessarily have a special taste. “Here, what we are showing is the solidarity with the alliance and the ability that NATO has, faced with a threat that exists in the east, to continue to train and ‘always be ready’explains Colonel Ludovic Sommerlat, commanding officer of the 3rd Hussar Regiment.
3,200 French soldiers come here to face extreme weather conditions. These alpine hunters wear specific camouflage outfits for snowy terrain, invisible to a few tens of meters. Skis on their feet, 25 kilos on their backs, for hours they make their way through the trees. The objective is to get closer to the enemy to locate him. These operations take place every two years to establish common strategies. Military exercises but also communication, because NATO wants to show the close collaboration between its member states. The maneuvers on Norwegian soil are to continue until April 10.