NATO is preparing to launch the biggest military exercise since the end of the Cold War on Russia's border on Thursday, what Western media called "the maneuvers of the Third World War," amid growing tension between Washington and Moscow on the back of mutual accusations of violating the nuclear treaty.
It is scheduled to start maneuvers alliance that bears the name "Trident Cengtcher 18", between October 25 and November 7, and the participation of 50 thousand troops, 150 aircraft and 60 warships and 10 thousand military vehicles, and the exercises will be held with the participation of members of the alliance's 29.
The main training area is about 1,000 kilometers from Norway's 197 km border with Russia in the Arctic, while air exercises can be held 500 kilometers away.
Two Russian military observers and two Belarusians were invited to watch the exercises.
"The exercises" show our NATO allies that we are ready to move across Europe when needed and show our ability to do so, "British Major Stuart Laffery told AFP.
Before the start of the exercise, the NATO website regularly published data on the arrival of troops participating in Norway, said that German tanks and vehicles arrived in the northern European country, apparently in reference to the magnitude of the event and the show of force against Russia.
The United States, the participation of the giant aircraft carrier "Harry Truman" in the exercises, which reflects Washington's desire to raise the size of the exercises to the maximum, especially as it increased the number of participants in the exercises by military 6000, according to the site, "Defense News" specialist in defense affairs.
The participation of the giant carrier is a clear US step to reach the ultimate goal, the highest readiness to respond to any aggression at short notice.
US-Russian tension
Comes "Trident Cengtcher 18", in light of mounting tensions between Russia and the United States, as it accused the envoy of Washington, the alliance, Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Moscow of violating the Intermediate Nuclear Treaty in 1987, threatening the destruction of warheads, "developed by Moscow in secret programs."
Said Maria Zacharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry: "The NATO countries major increase military presence in the region near the borders of Russia," adding that "these irresponsible actions must lead to the destabilization of the political situation in the north and increase tension."
Tensions between Moscow and Washington have threatened to boil again in recent days after US President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw from the Cold War nuclear treaty.
Trump accused Russia of violating the pact, while Moscow warned that abandoning it could threaten global security.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has boosted the military's capabilities in the Arctic and has introduced military bases, while new missile systems and anti-aircraft batteries have been introduced.
Moscow also decided to strengthen the Northern Fleet with five new warships, five support ships and 15 aircraft in the coming weeks.
"The return of Russian military power to what it was during the Cold War," warned Francois Hipsburg, an expert at the French Strategic Research Foundation.
"In a way, NATO is also going back to where it was," he said.
Since Russia joined the Ukrainian Crimea in 2014, NATO has intensified its military presence on the European continent, setting up garrisons in Eastern Europe and the Baltic states, at a time when Russia has also increased its military presence in adjacent areas.
Last September, Russia concluded the largest exercise ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union, with 300,000 troops, about 36,000 military vehicles and 1,000 aircraft, and carried, according to observers, a political message to the West.
