Many NATO countries conduct military exercises

The military drills Arrow 22, held May 2-13 in Finland, is one of a series of joint activities between NATO members and their allies that lasts from spring to summer.

The operation can be assessed as a prelude to major geopolitical changes in Northern Europe in the context that Finland and neighboring Sweden are likely to apply to join NATO in the next few weeks.

Earlier, on April 11, Russia warned that if Finland and Sweden joined NATO, Russia would be forced to restore the military balance by strengthening its defenses in the Baltic region, including deploying weapons. Nuclear gas is here.

At the same time, NATO began large scale exercise in Eastern Europe. Poland participates in two large-scale NATO exercises and is host to one of them, the Polish Defense Ministry said on May 1.

Defender Europe 2022 (Guardian of Europe) and Swift Response 2022 (Rapid Response) exercises will be held in 9 countries, including Poland, from May 1 to 27.

Lithuanian forces during the Saberr Strike exercise in Kazlu Ruda on March 1, 2022. (Image: Getty)

“There will be about 18,000 servicemen from more than 20 countries participating in the drills in both these exercises. Operations taking place on Polish territory will include 7,000 troops and 3,000 pieces of equipment,” the ministry said in a statement. Polish Defense said.

Defender Europe is a regular US-led multilateral exercise aimed at “building preparedness and operational interoperability among allies and partners” of NATO and the United States. This year’s exercise will be held in several areas in Poland. Polish soldiers will participate in the exercise with troops from the US, France, Sweden, Germany, Denmark and the UK.

During the Swift Response exercise, Poland will deploy about 550 troops to Lithuania and Latvia with troops from the Czech Republic and a joint German and Dutch force.

“These joint exercises are aimed at strengthening security on the eastern flank of NATO through training in accordance with NATO procedures and standards,” the Polish Defense Ministry said. “The exercise also aims to strengthen the bloc’s preparedness to deal with emerging challenges on the battlefield today.”

Poland insists that both the exercises are “not aimed against any country and have nothing to do with the current geopolitical situation in the region”, referring to Russia’s campaign in Ukraine.

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