Mobilize 60 air force, including US B-52s, from 14 countries… Inspection of operational capability of ‘nuclear sharing system’
Possibility of ‘counterfire nuclear exercise’ following Russia’s ICBM training… Concerns about escalating tension
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) began its annual nuclear deterrence exercise scheduled for the 17th (local time) despite the crisis in Ukraine.
According to NATO, this year’s nuclear deterrence exercise ‘Stedfast Noon’, which will be held from this day to the 30th, was hosted by Belgium and participated in by about 60 air forces, including 14 NATO member countries and the US strategic bomber B-52.
The training will take place over Belgium, the North Sea and the British airspace.
No live ammunition is used.
Steadfast Noon is known as a regular exercise to check the ability to operate the NATO-style ‘nuclear sharing system’ assuming a nuclear war scenario.
It is reported that the U.S. currently has about 150 air-dropping B-61 tactical nuclear bombs in five European countries, including Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkey. to be.
It is interpreted as a way to show off military solidarity between the West and send a ‘warning message’ to Russia in a detour at the same time as the war in Ukraine.
However, some point out that Russia can provoke Russia even more in a situation where Russia continues its indiscriminate airstrikes on Ukraine and is not hesitant to threaten nuclear weapons.
It is said that Russia could use the exercise as an excuse to launch a large-scale armed demonstration.
In fact, the Ministry of Defense of Russia announced the fact that the training was conducted using the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Yars, and announced that it had formed a regional coalition with its ally Belarus in the name of protecting the border.
In the sense that Russia’s annual nuclear exercise ‘Grom’ (thunder) has been conducted at the end of October, the possibility of counterattack training is also raised.
NATO, as if conscious of this, directly disclosed the size and schedule of the exercise in advance, but emphasized that this exercise was a regular exercise planned before the Ukraine war.
In addition, the possibility of maintaining a ‘low key’ stance is raised, such as not disclosing training scenes until the end of this month’s training.
/yunhap news