The announcement that Britain will conduct large-scale exercises across Europe – from Finland to northern Macedonia – reinforces the warning to Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, not to attack NATO territories.
The operation, called Exercise Hedgehog, begins next month. UK forces will join 18,000 NATO troops on the Estonian-Latvian border, while 1,000 troops have been sent to Poland as part of the Exercise Defender. Another 2,500 paratroopers have been sent to northern Macedonia for Swift response training.
Lt. Gen. Ralph Wooddis, one of Britain’s top commanders, said: “The United Kingdom has made significant contributions to Europe’s defense and deterring Russian aggression.
He added that the size of the deployment “will deter aggression on a scale not seen in Europe this century”.
Mr Wallace said: “Europe’s security has never been more important. These exercises will see our troops join forces … in a demonstration of solidarity and strength in one of the greatest shared deployments since the Cold War.
In a subsequent statement to the Kremlin, attacking nuclear-powered submarines from the United Kingdom, the United States and France docked at the British naval base Fasslane on the Clyde, where the United Kingdom’s strategic deterrent is located.
Earlier this week, HMS Audacious, a Royal Astute killer boat, was seen loading Tomahawk missiles at a Gibraltar naval facility.
It is assumed that all submarines are preparing to participate in naval exercises in the North Atlantic, which should begin in the coming days
Add Comment