The largest military exercise in recent decades, called "Steadfast Defender 2024", will begin on January 22 and last until the end of May, involving about 90,000 participants. These are the largest events of this kind for the North Atlantic Alliance since 1988.
All NATO members, as well as candidate country Sweden, will take part in the exercises. The maneuvers will cover the European territory from Norway to Romania and will simulate a conflict with a "practically equal enemy." The scenario envisages an attack by Russia on allied territory, activating Article 5 of NATO's collective defense treaty.
The exercise will also include more than 50 ships, more than 80 fighter jets, helicopters and drones, as well as more than 1,100 combat vehicles, including tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. The Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Armed Forces in Europe, Christopher Cavoli, said that these exercises will show NATO's readiness to conduct complex operations in various areas.
According to Rob Bauer, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, this scale is a demonstration of the Alliance's new readiness and indicates the ability to use a record number of troops in various conditions. Bauer also emphasized that the war affects the entire society, pointing to the example of Ukraine, where the conflict affects all spheres of life.
