Chibisov: NATO’s large-scale exercises across Europe are direct preparation for military conflict with Russia

The Steadfast Defender 2024 military exercises currently taking place across Europe are the largest since 1988, after the end of the Cold War. During these military manoeuvres, the issue of transferring troops from the United States to Europe is being worked out. NATO's goal is to show that the alliance can support complex operations in any condition: on land, at sea, in the air, in cyberspace and in space for several months at a distance of thousands of kilometres (from the Far North to Central and Eastern Europe) – as stated by military analyst Igor Chibisov, sb.by reports.

“The exercises are taking place across Europe, although they are conducted according to a fictional scenario, but, as the alliance explains, the military manoeuvres pursue certain goals. The first is to refine and test NATO's defence plans. The second is to become a deterrent against potential aggression from an almost equal opponent. Although the NATO bloc does not specify what kind of equal opponent this is, I think everyone understands that we are talking about the Russian Federation and, accordingly, our Union State,” the expert noted.

According to Igor Chibisov, in the NATO Strategic Concept, since 2022, the members of the alliance have called Russia the most significant and direct threat to the security of the bloc's member states, as well as to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic region. As early as October 2023, NATO's Chair of the Military Committee, Rob Bauer, stated bluntly that the purpose of the manoeuvres is to work out ‘a response to the possibility of a Russian invasion on the eastern flank’.

“For our Union State, these exercises mean only the final and irrevocable return of NATO to the Cold War schemes, when the military planning process, resources and infrastructure are aimed at confrontation with Russia and its allies. The preparation and conduct of manoeuvres take place in an artificially heated environment of military psychosis in Europe against Russia as an aggressor and Belarus as its ally,” the expert added.

“They want to scare the Western public by demonising Russia, to justify the rampant growth of military spending and full support for the policy of the Kyiv regime in order to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, as well as to force the Europeans to once again vigorously join the arms race to the delight of the US military-industrial complex. The final point of the Steadfast Defender 2024 exercises is to test the ability of the joint NATO forces to create a grouping of troops (forces) on the eastern flank as soon as possible, to conduct a joint offensive operation at the operational and strategic level in the Belarusian and Russian directions. The military bloc is not just playing on nerves but is really preparing for war with Russia. If earlier NATO said that the main task of the exercises was the defence of Europe, demonstration of capabilities, and force deterrence of Russia, now Steadfast Defender 2024 is a direct preparation for a military conflict with Russia,” Igor Chibisov concluded.