NATO kicks off steadfast noon: Nuclear drills amid tensions
The Alliance's Secretary General, Mark Rutte, announced that NATO's nuclear maneuvers will begin on October 14. Alliance representatives assure that this is not a response to the Kremlin's threats. Such exercises have been taking place annually for over a decade.
On October 14, NATO will start its annual Steadfast Noon nuclear weapons exercises. Troops from 13 countries will participate in the event. The maneuvers will be conducted 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 defense and that we strengthen our defense so that our adversaries know that NATO is ready, and is able to respond to any threat," said Alliance Secretary General Mark Rutte during a visit to London, where he met with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.
The maneuvers will take place at a time when Russia's dictator Vladimir Putin is "heightened nuclear rhetoric," noted Reuters. In September, Putin declared that Moscow could use nuclear weapons if attacked with conventional missiles.
"This is not a response to Kremlin's threats"
NATO representatives emphasize that the Steadfast Noon exercises are not a response to the Kremlin's threats, as they have been held annually for over a decade.
This year's maneuvers, lasting two weeks, will involve about 60 aircraft, including F-35A fighters and B-52 bombers, and approximately 2,000 soldiers. The exercises include simulating combat missions with the use of American nuclear warheads, though without the use of live ammunition.
