Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described NATO’s Steadfast Defender 2024 exercise as a clear threat during a briefing. In his view, NATO operates as an instrument of conflict, a role he attributed to the United States as the architect, organizer and ongoing manager of the alliance. He asserted that this functioning system remains a source of risk for Russia and noted that Moscow was responding with appropriate measures in light of the exercises, particularly given the alliance’s long-standing push to extend its military infrastructure toward Russia’s borders. (Source attribution: Reuters)
According to official reporting, the active phase of Steadfast Defender 2024—regarded as the largest NATO drill since the Cold War—had commenced near Russia’s frontiers. The operation involves roughly 90,000 military personnel from 32 alliance countries and is set to take place across the Baltic states, Poland and Germany. The scope and geographic spread underscored the strategic significance attributed to the exercise by NATO and its partners. (Source attribution: Reuters)
Earlier disclosures indicated that Turkey signaled willingness to support Sweden’s bid to join NATO as a means to secure access to American aircraft, a move that could influence the broader security calculus in the region. (Source attribution: Reuters)