NATO’s nuclear deterrence exercises are a routine, recurring training activity and are unrelated to any current world events. This year’s exercises ran October 17 through October 30.
During this year’s NATO’s nuclear deterrence exercise, Russian officials spread disinformation about the Alliance’s military maneuvers. In support of the narrative of “NATO’s aggression against Russia,” Russian officials stated that the drills are directed against Russia. Such military maneuvers pose a threat to civilization, and are “pushing the world one step closer to war,” Russian officials claim.
The Steadfast Noon, NATO’s nuclear deterrence exercise, does not pose any threat to Russia and does not bring “the world one step closer to war.” This is pure Russian disinformation. Alliance military maneuvers are routine events and NATO announced these exercises well in advance, also notifying third countries about the maneuvers. Steadfast Noon is a regular annual deterrence exercise in which dozens of aircraft from across the Alliance practice defending European NATO allies, and not attacking third countries.
In October 2020, NATO’s annual nuclear deterrence exercise was hosted by the Netherlands, with training flights over parts of Western Europe and the North Sea. In the autumn of 2021, Steadfast Noon was held in the airspace over the southern Europe, the maneuvers were attended by aircraft and personnel from 14 NATO countries. Then NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg once again stressed that the exercises were not directed against any country.
The 2022 NATO exercises involving dozens of aircraft took place in the skies over northwest Europe, over Belgium, which is hosting this year’s exercise, the United Kingdom and the North Sea. The maneuvers involve 14 NATO countries and up to 60 aircraft of different types. As in previous years, American B-52 long-range bombers are participating in the exercise. No live weapons are used during the exercises, NATO’s information bulletin underlines. Commenting on Steadfast Noon-2022, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg noted that the maneuvers guarantee that NATO’s nuclear capabilities “remains safe, secure and effective.”
“The Steadfast Noon exercise is a long-planned exercise. It’s an annual exercise. It was planned before the invasion of Ukraine and we have been transparent on this. And the purpose of that exercise is to ensure that our nuclear deterrent is safe, secure and effective … Deterrence is the way to prevent any attack on a NATO Ally and to preserve peace. And we have demonstrated that NATO’s nuclear deterrent is effective and works. We have done that for decades,” Stoltenberg summarized.
It is worth noting that neither the United States, nor the EU nor NATO have ever threatened Russia with nuclear weapons, unlike top Kremlin officials who do it regularly. Moreover, according to NATO analysts’ calculations, Russia’s tactical nuclear arsenal exceeds the U.S. stockpile in Europe by about ten times. As of 2020, NATO experts estimate that there are between 1,500 and 2,000 nuclear warheads in Russian storage facilities – compared to 150 to 200 U.S. free-fall bombs in special storage facilities in Europe.
After Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, NATO member states revised their Strategic Concept. The North Atlantic Alliance recognized Russia as the “most significant and direct threat” to security in Europe. The Alliance also accused Russia of systematically using coercion, aggression and annexation as foreign policy tools, and of carrying out nuclear blackmail.
Steadfast Noon is hosted by a different NATO Ally each year. “This exercise helps ensure that the Alliance’s nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure and effective,” said NATO Spokesperson Oana Lungescu.
