NATO nuclear drills to proceed amid heightened global tensions
The Alliance's Secretary General, Mark Rutte, has announced that NATO's nuclear manoeuvres will commence on 14 October. Alliance representatives assure that this is not a response to threats from the Kremlin. Such exercises have been held annually for over a decade.
On 14 October, NATO will begin its annual nuclear weapons exercise, Steadfast Noon. Armed forces from 13 countries will participate in this endeavour. The manoeuvres will take place in the North Sea and on the territories of the United Kingdom, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
"In an uncertain world it is vital that we test our defence and that we strengthen our defence so that our adversaries know that NATO is ready, and is able to respond to any threat," stated the Secretary General of the Alliance, Mark Rutte, during a visit to London. There, he met with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.
The manoeuvres will occur at a time when Russia's dictator, Vladimir Putin, is "heightened nuclear rhetoric," as noted by the Reuters agency. In September, Putin declared that Moscow could use nuclear weapons if attacked by conventional missiles.
"This is not a response to NATO threats"
NATO representatives emphasise that the Steadfast Noon exercises, which have been held annually for over a decade, are not a response to Kremlin threats.
This year's manoeuvres, lasting two weeks, will involve approximately 60 aircraft, including F-35A fighter jets and B-52 bombers, and about 2,000 troops. The exercises will simulate combat missions using American nuclear warheads but without the use of live weapons.
