Moscow, March 4: NATO has begun a large-scale military exercise near Russia's border, involving more than 20,000 troops from 13 countries amid heightened World War 3 fears. The exercise, called Nordic Response 2024, will last for almost two weeks and cover the northern regions of Finland, Norway and Sweden.

According to the Daily Star, the Nordic Response 2024 exercise is aimed at testing and enhancing the collective defence capabilities of the alliance, especially in its newly expanded Nordic territories. Finland and Sweden, which share long borders with Russia, joined NATO in 2023 and 2024, respectively, amid rising tensions with Moscow. Is Poland Preparing for War Against Russia? Defense Minister Says 'Expect Every Scenario'.

Move Comes After Vladimir Putin's Accusation

The exercise comes days after Russia President Vladimir Putin accused NATO of preparing to attack his country and threatened a nuclear response. NATO denied such intentions and said the exercise is purely defensive and transparent.

What is Nordic Response 2024?

Nordic Response 2024 is a biennial exercise that used to be called Cold Response. This year, it is co-hosted by Finland, Norway and Sweden and includes forces from Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the US. World War 3 Fears: UK Military Bases at Risk of Russian Drone Strikes in Event of WW3, Expert Warns.

The exercise will involve land, sea and air operations, with over 50 naval vessels, 100 aircraft and various land units. The participants will train in challenging Arctic conditions, simulating crisis management, humanitarian assistance and combat operations scenarios.

Earlier, it was reported that NATO war planes have been deployed after Russia President Vladimir Putin launched a wave of attacks at Ukraine's Polish border. Explosions ripped through Ukraine after Putin unleashed the spate of horrifying new attacks. At least three F-16s owned by NATO were seen being scrambled in the wake of the intensified attacks, reports say.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 04, 2024 06:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).