“Aimed at no country” but at “routine” training to increase its power: NATO will launch its annual nuclear exercise with its 2,000 men and 71 aircraft

It is a show of force and a message to adversaries. NATO will launch on Monday, like every year, a nuclear exercise in which some 2,000 men, 71 planes and 14 countries will participate, but no atomic bombs, the Atlantic Alliance announced on Friday.

“I would like to emphasize that the exercise is routine. It is not directed against any country and is not linked to any real event,” said Jim Stokes, head of NATO nuclear policy.

In addition to Volkel Air Base, the approximately two-week exercise will be conducted from military bases in Belgium, the United Kingdom and Denmark, over the North Sea.

It will take place this year after several Russian drone incursions into NATO airspace and the flight of mysterious drones over Copenhagen last month.

“These more frequent incursions are obviously something we are monitoring closely,” said U.S. Col. Daniel Bunch, who heads NATO nuclear operations. But, he added, “Drones are not a new threat to us. Drones are something we understand.”