The maneuvers are taking place outside the United States, France and the United Kingdom for the first time.
For the first time, the NATO Atlantic Trident 25 military air exercises began in Finland. More than 40 aircraft from Finland, the United States, France and the United Kingdom will participate in them, including the NATO RQ-4D Phoenix reconnaissance drones that arrived in the country for the first time. Meanwhile, the planned exercises of the forces of the Baltic and Northern Fleets with the support of the Aerospace Forces aviation are continuing in the Baltic Sea. Experts note that the Russian Armed Forces will study the actions of NATO aviation, which will help in the future to more effectively counter the forces of the alliance.
What will NATO work on in Finland?
NATO air maneuvers are held every two years. This time, they are being held outside the three participating countries for the first time - the USA, France and the UK. The maneuvers began on June 16 and will end on June 27.
According to the plan of the military exercises, the aircraft of the North Atlantic Alliance will operate from several air bases in Finland: Tikkakoski in Jyvaskyla, Satakunta in Pirkkala, Rissala in Kuopio, as well as from the air base in Lapalandia.
Photo: Finnish Air Force Press Service
Image source: iz.ru
In addition to Finnish F/A-18 fighters, American F-35A and F-15E fighters, KC-135 tanker aircraft, Typhoon fighters of the British Air Force, as well as French Rafale fighters, E-3F long-range radar detection aircraft and A400M transport aircraft will take part in the maneuvers.
NATO RQ-4D Phoenix reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles have arrived at the Finnish air base for the first time. This drone modification is considered a key element of the alliance's new ground surveillance system and allows the NATO command to obtain more accurate information about the situation in the area of interest.
The Air Forces of Finland, the United States, France and the United Kingdom will jointly work out tactics. They will focus on manoeuvrable combat training according to the NATO Air Force doctrine. In addition, cross-maintenance of aircraft, interaction and integration of 4th and 5th generation fighters into single operational units will be worked out.
The exercise also involves NH90 helicopters, Finnish Army ground-based air defense units and Draken International aircraft.
By conducting such exercises near the borders with Russia, the North Atlantic Alliance is trying to demonstrate its strength, capabilities, and at the same time exert pressure and intimidate us, military expert Viktor Litovkin told Izvestia.
Photo: Finnish Air Force Press Service
Image Source: iz.ru
"We will be happy to look at all the air maneuvers of the North Atlantic Alliance, study their combat tactics and use this knowledge in preparation for repelling their possible offensive operations," he said. — We have the ability to fight back against any NATO country. Western countries flatter themselves with the hope that if they attack Russia, the war will be conventional, that is, without the use of weapons of mass destruction. But NATO's war with Russia will be nuclear, and they should be aware of this.
Meanwhile, the planned exercises of the forces of the Baltic and Northern Fleets are continuing in the Baltic Sea with the support of the aviation of the Aerospace Forces, the Moscow and Leningrad military districts. They train to defend their bases. Up to 20 warships, boats and support vessels, about three thousand military personnel, about 25 aircraft and helicopters, and up to 70 pieces of equipment are involved in the exercises.
During the maneuvers, the Navy ships fired artillery at sea and air targets. The crews of Su-27 fighters conducted training battles with mock enemy aircraft.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the purpose of the exercises is to achieve the stability of fleet basing systems, to work out timely detection and notification of the appearance of the enemy and his actions, to ensure the safety of coastal sea communications, and to create favorable conditions for the preparation and performance of combat missions on their own.
Maneuvers near the Russian borders
Russia has repeatedly expressed concern about the growing activity of the alliance near its state border. So, at the end of May, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, during an international hearing on security in Eurasia, said that Western countries continue to increase provocative military exercises near Russian territory.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Sergey Bobylev
In addition, Russian Ambassador to Finland Pavel Kuznetsov said that after Finland joined NATO in April 2023, the number of national exercises has increased significantly — 115 military maneuvers are planned for 2025.
Finland is trying to position itself as a new member of NATO and a new enemy of Russia, says former UN Deputy Secretary General, Russian diplomat Sergei Ordzhonikidze.
"At the same time, they are hiding behind the North Atlantic Alliance, naively believing that in the event of a conflict all other countries will provide them with military assistance," he explained to Izvestia. — However, they misinterpret the fifth article of the NATO Collective Defense treaty. It says that if an alliance member has a conflict with another state, the alliance members will hold immediate consultations. This is the problem of modern politicians in Western European countries — they do not carefully read either history textbooks or political documents. Because of this, they understand everything through the prism of their bright interests and make appropriate decisions.
The expert is confident that in the event of a nuclear conflict in northern Europe — for example, in the Baltic region — the United States of America will help its NATO allies, but will not participate in it.
NATO exercises to capture the Kaliningrad region
Earlier, on June 15, the large-scale NATO Griffin Lightning 25 exercises in the Baltic ended.
Photo: Global Look Press/Staff Sgt. Alexander Cook
Image source: iz.ru
According to Nikolai Patrushev, Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the Maritime Board, they worked out a scenario for seizing the Kaliningrad Region and blocking shipping in the Baltic Sea. He also drew attention to how British Prime Minister Keir Starmer threatens Russia with "the dubious power of the long-worn British fleet and the nuclear weapons on board its submarines."
These exercises began on April 1 and took place on the territory of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland and the adjacent waters. NATO's operational management units participated in them, they practiced "operations against an equivalent enemy," according to the website of the North Atlantic Alliance.
Julia Leonova
Roman Kretsul
