NATO starts maneuvers on the border with Russia: Sweden and Finland are already there

Created: 05/17/2022, 05:00

By: Daniel Dillman

NATO simulates an attack from Russia on Estonia.

Sweden and Finland are also taking part in the gigantic exercise.

Tallinn – In the middle of the Ukraine war, NATO is flexing its muscles.

And in the Baltic Sea of ​​all places, where the defense alliance shares a border with Russia.

According to the British Daily Mail, the maneuver, dubbed “Hedgehog” (porcupine), is intended to simulate a Russian attack on NATO member Estonia.

According to NATO information, around 15,000 soldiers from ten different countries are taking part in the maneuver.

The exercise will take place just 40 miles from the nearest Russian military base.

It will be one of the largest exercises the military alliance has conducted since the end of the Cold War in 1991.

NATO starts military exercise on the border with Russia: Sweden and Finland are part of it

Also involved in the exercise are Sweden and Finland.

Both countries want to join NATO and are preparing an application for membership.

According to the Daily Mail, Vladimir Putin's government responded to neighboring countries' desire to join by threatening Brussels.

Should Sweden, and especially Finland, with which Russia shares a more than 1,000-kilometer border, join NATO, Moscow should begin moving nuclear weapons to the region.

At least that's what Russian state media are demanding.

NATO has been holding military exercises in Estonia since 2015.

US Army tanks are also involved.

(Archive photo) © Imago Images

According to NATO, the "Hedgehog" maneuver on the border with Russia was not started because of the Ukraine conflict, which had mutated into a war.

Rather, the exercise had been planned for a long time.

"We have long since informed the international community about the exercise," Major General Veiko-Vello Palm, deputy commander of the Estonian armed forces, told the US news portal Newsweek.

"But we wouldn't have allowed Russian observers anyway."

Georgia and Ukraine are also taking part in the NATO exercise

Most of the NATO exercise will take place in Estonia.

Overall, however, the maneuver will be carried out in nine different countries.

In addition to the non-NATO countries Sweden and Finland, a small number of troops from Georgia and Ukraine are also taking part in the exercise.

According to Palm, however, it is only “a few people”.

However, the major did not want to go into detail on the question of NATO cooperation with Ukraine and Georgia.

"These two countries have been participating for years, specifically in this exercise," Palm said.

(dil)