The air forces of NATO countries will conduct the planned Steadfast Noon nuclear deterrence exercise in Europe from October 17 to 30.
This was reported by the NATO press service.
The training schedule includes practicing deterring enemy nuclear attacks by dozens of aircraft in the sky over northwestern Europe. At the same time, the Alliance emphasizes that these exercises are regular, annual and not related to current world events, hinting that they are not caused by Russian threats.
Steadfast Noon will feature 14 countries and up to 60 aircraft of various types, including American B-52 strategic long-range bombers.
- Earlier, Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the BBC that Russia had begun to prepare its society for a nuclear strike, but added that he did not believe in the use of tactical nuclear weapons.
- The Secretary General of NATO said that the forces of the Alliance plan to conduct nuclear deterrence exercises. NATO said that a Russian nuclear strike on Ukraine would almost certainly trigger a "physical response" from the Allies.
- The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, said that in the event of a nuclear attack on Ukraine, Russia would receive a powerful military response from its allies up to the destruction of the Russian army.
- French President Macron said that his country will not use nuclear weapons in response. Political opponents and experts began to criticize him for this.