Some 37,000 military personnel from 18 countries are expected to participate in the maneuvers, including 20,000 soldiers deployed from US territory.
–
U.S. Army Preparations for the Defender Europe 2020 exercise began on Thursday, which will mean the largest deployment of US forces in Europe in more than 25 years.
The units involved have already started loading tanks and other equipment for shipment to the mainland. The maneuvers are expected to participate approximately 20,000 soldiers and 20,000 teams deployed from US territory, in addition to 9,000 US military stationed in Europe and 8,000 soldiers from 17 allied nations. Defender Europe 2020 will take place between April and May 2020, although some associated maneuvers will last until summer.
According to the Army in a statement, these maneuvers, as well as the associated exercises “will increase strategic preparation and interoperability” by training their ability to quickly move a large force of soldiers and equipment to Europe and to “respond, along with their allies and partners, to a potential crisis. “
“Reminiscences of the Cold War”
Major General Andrew Rohling, Deputy General Commander of the US Army in Europe, he said that it is a “defense exercise”, crisis preparedness and strategic preparation, which “has nothing to do with any specific country.”
–
–
–
–
However, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexánder Grushkó already stated in December that the maneuvers are “reminiscent of the Cold War” that he does not have “nothing to do with the real security situation in Europe“and only leads to a waste of resources and the creation of dividing lines.
For the military expert Iván Konoválov, it is also “clear that all this is directed against Russia.” In statements to RT, the analyst explains that NATO and US exercises. in Europe they have already become “something routine”, because “they are carried out frequently and their scale is constantly growing.”
At the same time, Konoválov emphasizes the deployment of a large number of equipment in the next maneuvers, which means that “possible combat operations are being tested against a very serious enemy“Meanwhile, in the expert’s opinion,” there is no one to protect Europeans from, except terrorism. “
Threat to Russia?
For his part, the head of the Center for Political and Military Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladimir Batiuk, warns that the creation of infrastructure for rapid deployment of NATO troops near Russian borders poses a potential threat for the security of the Slavic country.
“To transfer such a large contingent, it will be necessary to build an adequate military transport infrastructure. And this will create conditions for the transfer of troops in case of an emergency,” the analyst explains, to conclude that this situation leaves no other option for Russia than “increase vigilance, strengthen defense and expand its military presence in the western regions of the country, especially in Kaliningrad. “
–
