NATO preparing for combat on its own borders due to Russia's attack on Ukraine
As a result of Russia's atrocities in the war against Ukraine, NATO countries are preparing to become a war-ready alliance again, as it was during the Cold War, ready to defend every inch of its member states' territory.
This was reported by The New York Times, according to Ukrinform.
It is noted that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has pushed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to set a goal of becoming a capable military alliance again, as it was during the Cold War.
This policy change is transformative for an alliance that has been characterized as dormant and insecure for decades, and Finland's accession to NATO was another important unintended consequence of Russia's war in Ukraine.
The article says that NATO is now rapidly shifting from a policy of deterrence by retaliation to deterrence by prohibition. Previously, it was believed that in the event of an invasion by Moscow, member states would try to hold out until allied forces came to their aid and pushed the occupiers back. But after the Russian atrocities in the captured Ukrainian towns of Bucha, Irpin, and Mariupol, Poland and the Baltic states "don't want to risk even a short period of Russian occupation," the NYT writes.
Border states of the bloc, such as Poland and the Baltic states, no longer want to risk a certain period of Russian occupation. They point out that in the first days of the invasion of Ukraine, Russian troops seized territories larger than some of the Baltic states.
Preventing this through a ban means deploying more troops along the Russian border, integrating U.S. and allied military plans, spending more money on military spending, and demanding more detailed requirements from allies for specific types of combat capabilities.
The goal is to make NATO not only stronger and more capable, but also more visible to Russia.
As reported, preparations for the active phase of NATO's largest exercise in the country, Anakonda-2023, have begun in the north and east of Poland.
Anakonda-23 is the largest exercise this year involving the Polish Armed Forces. It will run from April 17 to May 16. The exercises will take place at four training ranges in Poland (Dravsko Pomorskie, Ożysz, Ustka and Nowa Dęba), as well as at training ranges in Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. They will be attended by 10,000 Polish soldiers and 3,000 from NATO and partner countries, including troops from the United States, Romania, Slovenia, France, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Turkey, and Sweden.