Military exercises: their purpose and meaning

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:43

In the 21st century, it would seem that no large-scale conflicts should occur - humanity has well mastered the experience of the Second World War with its innumerable human casu alties and numerous destructions. Nevertheless, practically all states of the world have their own armies, which have the latest weapons in their arsenal, and their combat effectiveness is constantly being increased and maintained, for which military exercises are constantly conducted by the troops. They work out various scenarios of possible conflicts.

The purpose of military exercises

Today, more and more people are talking about the beginning of a new cold war, this time it seems to be between Russia and the NATO military alliance. In response to the expansion of the influence of the Western bloc, Russia is increasing its defense potential. The parties accuse each other of building up forces, each declares that all his actions in this area are caused only by the need to protect their borders from the alleged aggressor.

For more than 200 years, the West has made more than one attempt to conquer the vast expanses of Russia, which should be able to protect its lands even today. Russian military exercises have a specific goal - to make the army able to repel possible aggression inregarding the country. The Russian people did not show hostility towards neighboring states and always only defended their right to live in their native land.

In turn, the West still remember how the Red Army marched across Europe. They believe that if it were not for the Allied troops who occupied West Berlin, the USSR could have captured the whole of Europe. As a result, it turns out that the Russian Federation, expecting a violation of its borders, conducts training maneuvers near them, while in the West this is regarded as an exercise near NATO borders.

Russian military exercises

So, in the summer of 2014, tactical exercises were held in the Kaliningrad region, which is located in close proximity to the B altic countries and borders on Poland. The emphasis in these exercises was on the defense of the state border by the forces of the fleet, the fight against the naval forces of a mock enemy, and actions were also practiced for defense against air attacks and amphibious landings. It is worth noting that these maneuvers began immediately after the start of NATO exercises in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

In connection with the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine in Russia, military exercises were held on the border with a neighboring state, which were very worried in the United States, which, however, is not surprising. Since Crimea became part of the Russian Federation, tactical maneuvers have also been repeatedly carried out on the peninsula and in the Black Sea, which indicate that Russia is able to defend its borders in this direction as well.

NATO exercises

OnAt first glance, it may seem that the North Atlantic Alliance very often conducts exercises near the Russian borders, at least around it there are a lot of military bases of the bloc. And what territory is now not included in the zone of US national interests? NATO military exercises are being carried out in the B altics, the Caucasus, and the Pacific Ocean. In the current situation, the alliance seeks to expand its zone of influence to Ukraine, which is generally unacceptable for Russia.

Perhaps it would be wrong to perceive the activity of NATO near the Russian borders as a manifestation of some kind of hostility, because Europe is where most of the countries of the military bloc are located, respectively, they carry out maneuvers on their territory. The Alliance believes that it is threatened from the east and south, so it is trying to insure itself in these areas.

Joint exercises

And yet, many tactical maneuvers take place collectively, when traditional geopolitical opponents jointly work out scenarios of possible actions to confront a conventional common enemy or aimed at combating international terrorism.

Russia is no exception with the North Atlantic Alliance. Of course, tensions have recently appeared in their relations, but even disagreements over the Ukrainian issue cannot force these major geopolitical players to completely refuse cooperation. For example, in June 2015, joint military exercises between Russia and NATO are being held, in which interaction is being worked out to combat airterrorism.

Even the largest military exercises rather speak of the desire of the world community to protect itself from sudden threats, whether it be terrorism or aggression from any state. It is unlikely that today anyone is seriously thinking about starting a big war.