Large military high schools with the participation of 30,000 soldiers NATO and partner countries launched today in Norway on a background of crisis between the West and Russia over the war in Ukraine.
The high schools Cold Response 2022which have long been planned, intend to test Norway ‘s ability to receive external aid in the event of an attack from a third country, under Article 5 of the NATO Charter which forces its members to rush to the aid of one of its members.
“These are defensive gymnasiums,” said Ingve Odlo, the Norwegian chief of operations, who runs the gymnasium. “It’s not an offensive military operation,” he told TV2.
Naval, air, amphibious and land exercises, which take place every two years, take place in very large parts of Norwegian territory, including the area above the Arctic Circle, but remain several hundred kilometers from the Russian-Norwegian border.
Russia has rejected the offer to send observers. “Strengthening NATO’s military capabilities near the border with Russia does not help enhance security in the region,” its embassy in Oslo said last week.
The Russians “completely legally developed the monitoring capabilities” of the high schools and “I really hope that they will abide by the existing agreements,” said General Otlo.
As in the past, in high schools Cold Response 2022 participate the Sweden and the Finland, which are not militarily aligned, but have approached NATO in recent years.
The Russian invasion provoked the resumption of talks on their possible accession to the Alliance.
The exercises, which will also involve 200 aircraft and about 50 ships and run until April 1st, began with operations at sea and the launch on the ground of a section of the French Rapid Reaction Force, led by France this year.
Nearly 3,300 French soldiers and amphibious helicopters Dixmude it has been announced that they will take part.
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