A major Cold Response military exercise is taking place in Northern Norway, Northern Sweden, and Finnish Lapland, involving 32,000 troops from 14 NATO countries, amidst concerns of a potential Russian attack.
This week, a significant military exercise named Cold Response is ongoing in Northern Norway, Northern Sweden, and Finnish Lapland, involving 32,000 troops from 14 NATO nations, including 3,000–4,000 US Marines along with various military hardware ranging from aircraft to submarines. The exercise simulates a scenario where Russia has launched an attack on Finnish Lapland and the Norwegian coast, which is aimed at creating a buffer zone around its nuclear weapons bases in the Murmansk area.
The scenario painted by the exercise includes intense battles in Finland that result in numerous casualties, necessitating the training of personnel in evacuating injured soldiers to Sweden and further to Narvik by train. This practice highlights the seriousness of the situation and showcases NATO's readiness to respond to potential threats in the region, particularly concerning Russian military actions that might jeopardize Nordic security.
On the heels of this exercise, the interior ministries of Finland, Sweden, and Norway have convened a meeting to discuss civilian evacuation plans in the event of such an attack. It was agreed that Sweden and Norway would assist in the reception of Finnish civilians, demonstrating a collaborative effort among the Nordic countries to bolster their preparedness against possible aggression from Russia, thus encouraging regional solidarity and security measures.
