Alwaght- The US-led NATO military alliance plans the most massive war drills ever held in Norway, amid rising tensions with Russia.
In total, the Trident Juncture NATO drill will feature 35,000 NATO troops from numerous member states gathering in Norway, ranking among some of the most extensive exercises held in the Scandinavian country in years, affecting tens of thousands of ordinary Norwegians, national broadcaster local media reported.
While the Trident Juncture drill itself, whose stated goal is to bolster cooperation within NATO and with so far still non-aligned partner states, is expected to take place from October 25 to November 7, a large-scale presence of NATO forces will be felt in large swaths of Norway for a period of several months.
In total, over a hundred municipalities across the country will be affected by increased traffic and noise in connection with the extended traffic exercise.
The massive war games come amid heightened tensions between the West and Russia over a crisis in Syria. The United States, France and Britain launched over 100 airstrikes on a series of military facilities in Syria last weekend, a move harshly condemned by Moscow.
NATO has already increased its activity around Russia, especially in the Baltic region, in response to Moscow’s alleged involvement in a conflict in Ukraine.
