04.03.2024, Moscow.
The risk of military incidents increases when NATO exercises are conducted near Russia’s borders, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko told reporters on March 4.
Earlier, Norwegian media reported that the Nordic Response military exercises with the participation of NATO member states and Sweden will begin in Northern Norway on March 3 and will last until March 14. Grushko noted that the Russian military has all the necessary means to monitor the NATO exercises.
“We believe that these exercises are demonstratively provocative in nature. Any exercises, especially in geographical proximity to the line of contact, increase the danger of military incidents,” Grushko said.
He stressed that all necessary measures had been taken to ensure Russia’s defense capability. According to the diplomat, the series of NATO military exercises, which will be held until June, is a military-political action for the NATO anniversary summit.
As reported by the press service of the Norwegian Armed Forces, Cold Response exercises were previously held in Northern Norway every two years. Now, thanks to NATO’s expansion to Finland and Sweden’s upcoming accession to the alliance, the exercise has been expanded to Nordic Response.
The Nordic Response 2024 exercise involves 13 NATO and partner nations: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. More than 20,000 troops are involved, including 10,000 on land. More than 50 submarines, frigates, corvettes, aircraft carriers and various landing craft are registered, more than 100 fighter jets, transport planes and maritime reconnaissance planes are planned to participate.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
