. 24/7 Space News .
SUPERPOWERS
NATO irks Russia with massive war games in Poland
By Mary SIBIERSKI
Torun, Poland (AFP) June 7, 2016


US, British and Polish soldiers parachuted to the ground in Poland on Tuesday in a mass show of force as NATO launched its biggest war games in eastern Europe since the Cold War.

The exercises -- staged against the backdrop of a military and diplomatic standoff between Russia and the West -- have rattled the Kremlin.

NATO says the 10-day Anaconda manoeuvres involving 31,000 troops are intended to shore up security on the alliance's eastern flank, where member states have been spooked by Russia's increasingly assertive actions.

"There's no reason to be nervous," Ben Hodges, Commanding General, US Army Europe, told reporters, insisting the exercises were purely "defensive".

They are being held a month ahead of a NATO summit in Warsaw set to seal its largest revamp since the Cold War by deploying more troop rotations to eastern European members deeply wary of Russia after its 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.

Moscow fiercely opposes the NATO moves, billed by the US-led alliance as part of its "deterrence and dialogue" strategy.

- 'Trust deficit' -

And the Kremlin reacted angrily to the start of the manoeuvres, NATO's biggest since the Trident drills last year involving 36,000 troops in Italy, Spain and Portugal.

"The exercises... do not contribute to an atmosphere of trust and security," said spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

"Unfortunately we are still witnessing a deficit in mutual trust."

Anaconda involves troops from 24 states, including 14,000 from the US, as well as ex-Soviet "Partnership for Peace" states like Ukraine.

US generals in Torun, central Poland, said it took just 24 hours for 500 rapid "Global Response" paratroopers to deploy 4,500 miles (7,200 kilometres) from the world's largest military base in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Russia has long protested at NATO's expansion in its Soviet-era backyard and in 1997 NATO formally agreed not to install permanent bases in former Warsaw Pact states.

Since the Ukraine conflict erupted in 2014 however, NATO has established a high-speed "spearhead" response force, complete with forward command and logistic centres in eastern states.

The Pentagon said in March it would deploy an additional armoured brigade of about 4,200 troops in eastern Europe from early 2017 on a rotational basis.

While NATO cut all practical cooperation with Moscow over the Ukraine crisis, the alliance plans formal talks with the Russians before the July 8-9 summit.

"The Cold War is history and we want it to stay that way," NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said last week.

But last month Moscow and Washington accused each other of mounting an aggressive military presence in Europe as the US broke ground on a missile shield in Poland and Romania.

Russia has vowed to "end threats" posed by the missile system, despite US assurances it is intended to ward of potential attacks by "rogue" states in the Middle East.

Moscow has significantly stepped up its presence in the Baltic Sea area and its jets regularly violate the airspace of smaller ex-Soviet NATO allies like Estonia. In April, they even buzzed a US naval destroyer.

- 'Test of wills' -

Some analysts question whether NATO's current strategy -- using rotational rather than permanent forces -- can secure its eastern flank.

"When push comes to shove, how long will it really take to mobilise at break-neck speed troops in the possibility of a threat of an attack?" Carnegie Europe analyst Judy Dempsey said in an interview with AFP.

"Russian exercises are sophisticated, they're big, they're intimidating and look what they're doing in Kaliningrad," she said, referring to Moscow's manoeuvres in the Russian enclave sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania.

"It's like a warning to NATO: 'don't forget, we're right inside NATO territory'."

The Kremlin has said it would set up three new divisions in the west and south of Russia by the end of the year to counter NATO forces near its border.

Describing the confrontation as "a test of wills", Dempsey said she believes Moscow's sabre-rattling is ultimately aimed at stopping NATO from encroaching even further into its backyard, with ex-Soviet republics Georgia and Ukraine keen to join the Western alliance.


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

Previous Report
SUPERPOWERS
Eyeing China, Obama demands Congress move on key UN maritime rules
Washington (AFP) June 2, 2016
US President Barack Obama asked Congress to ratify contentious UN maritime rules Thursday, hoping to strengthen his hand in a dangerous stand-off with Beijing over the disputed South China Sea. Addressing the US Air Force Academy in Colorado, Obama said that Congress should approve UN rules designed to peacefully resolve maritime disputes. Obama's presidency has seen escalating diplomati ... read more


SUPERPOWERS
Airbus Defence and Space to guide lunar lander to the Moon

A new, water-logged history of the Moon

Russian Firm Develops Project of Reusable Spacecraft for Lunar Missions

SwRI scientists discover fresh lunar craters

SUPERPOWERS
Red and Golden Planets at Opposition

Opportunity investigating soil exposed by rover wheel

Mars makes closest approach to Earth in 11 years

SwRI scientists discover evidence of ice age at Martian north pole

SUPERPOWERS
India Presses Ahead With Space Ambitions

Fun LoL to Teach Machines How to Learn More Efficiently

International Partners Provide Science Satellites for first SLS mission

'Metabolomics: You Are What You Eat' video

SUPERPOWERS
Bolivia to pay back loan to China for Tupac Katari satellite

NASA Chief: Congress Should Revise US-China Space Cooperation Law

Chine's satellite industry eyes global satellite market

China launches new satellite for civilian hi-res mapping

SUPERPOWERS
BEAM Leak Checks Before Crew Enters Next Week

HERA Mission 10 Crew to "Splashdown" on Wednesday

One Carbon Metabolism on the Space Station

Zuckerberg streams live chat with men in space

SUPERPOWERS
United Launch Alliance gets $138 million Atlas V contract

EchoStar XVIII and BRIsat are installed on Arianespace's Ariane 5

SpaceX makes fourth successful rocket landing

Arianespace to supply payload dispenser systems for OneWeb constellation

SUPERPOWERS
Astronomers find giant planet around very young star

Planet 1,200 Light-Years Away Is Good Prospect for a Habitable World

Kepler-223 System Offers Clues to Planetary Migration

Star Has Four Mini-Neptunes Orbiting in Lock Step

SUPERPOWERS
3D printing opens door to rapid advances in membrane technology

Calculating the mechanics of a rough sphere

Airbus presents 3D-printed mini aircraft

Microsoft wants Windows to open into mixed reality









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.