NATO is preparing a one-of-a-kind training mission to prepare against potential Russian aggression against a NATO ally. The exercise has been named The Steadfast Defender and will be employing 500-700 air combat missions, 50 naval ships, roughly 41,000 troops and 32 nations. The exercise will also be using never-before-seen geographical data to create a realistic scenario for troops. The biggest exercise since the Cold War could prove as a pivotal and vital role in the War against Russia.
U.S. Troops Training with NATO TroopsNow what do I mean by vital? No, I don’t mean NATO going into Ukraine and fighting the Russian army. I also am not suggesting Russia is going to invade a NATO ally. Both would be detrimental to both sides and cause monumental losses of life neither side wants. What this mission shows is the strength of all of the allies in this security alliance, along with the weakness of Russia.
What Russia does not have is anyone to back them in a war that could (but is highly unlikely) escalate between NATO. You can count Belarus but their army is smaller than Ukraine’s who have taken over 70,000 deaths and 120,000 wounded. China will definitely not come to their aid either. North Korea has little to no way of moving troops and Iran would be too afraid to engage with the mighty army of the United States and its partners.
NATO leaders want to scare Russia and prevent the continued escalation of this war. Last June NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated he wanted to increase NATO’s high-readiness troops from 40,000 to well over 300,000. NATO also created the Allied Reaction Force to respond rapidly to any threats. This ploy can create a trickle-down effect from the generals to soldiers on the ground, putting fear into their soldiers. NATO has to spread fear around the Russian army and to its people so that they know NATO is not something they can just mess with, and create chaos within Russia.
Author: Joshua Cheatham
