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UK to send 20000 troops in biggest NATO deployment in 40 years, says defence secretary – The Derby Informer

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The UK is to deploy 20,000 troops and lead a NATO exercise that is designed to deter Vladimir Putin from threatening countries in Europe, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has said.He told GB News: This will be the biggest deployments of UK troops to NATO for about 40 years.This is an operation which is designed to essentially allow NATO to test our approach in what isa much more dangerous world, given the conflicts in Europe, conflicts in the Middle East, but also the sort of intent of people like Putin to really disrupt the world order and our way of life, and so we'll be leading that NATO exercise which will be about 40,000 people overall.In a discussion during Breakfast with Eamonn Holmes and Isabel Webster, he continued: We've seen what Putin is capable of, we know that he's walked into a democratic neighbour in Ukraine and caused mayhem.And sometimes it's tempting to think, well, what's this got to do with us, but we saw last year, didnt we, with that enormous spike in energy prices and the incredible cost to households here.What happens over there really does matter here as well and we know that Putin has the intent so this very large military exercise involving 30 countries - 31, because it involves Sweden who are not yet in NATO - is designed to make sure that we are ready and we've tested our approach to anything that Putin might throw our way or anyone else in the future.Asked about polling indicating that the Tories are heading for 1997-style defeat at the next General Election, he said: While we have a plan that we're working to and that plan has started as see inflation really plummeting, the economy growing, we've seen tax cuts which now in January have come through and are worth about 450 pounds for somebody on the average salary.And I hope we can do more in that direction. In other words, we have a plan. It's working and it's starting to work.We'd be going right back to square one if we got Keir Starmer and Labour in now.WATCH ABOVE.

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UK to send 20000 troops in biggest NATO deployment in 40 years, says defence secretary - The Derby Informer

British troops deploy to northern Norway ahead of huge NATO Arctic exercise – The Independent Barents Observer

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The bi-annual winter wargamepreviously known as Cold Response has changed its name to Nordic Response. While Norway used to be a lonely NATO member above the European Arctic Circle, Finland and soon Sweden are now in the team of allied countries protecting shared freedom and democratic values.

About 20,000 soldiers will participate when the exercise kicks off in March.

British soldiers are already heading north, the Royal Navy informs.

Camp Viking, some 65 km south of Troms, serves as hub for the British soldiers winter training.

The UK Commando Force remains the partner of choice for our Norwegian counterparts, and increasingly to new NATO member Finland along with Sweden, whose Special Operations Forces and Coastal Rangers will be working with the Royal Marines, says Spokesperson for the Commando Force, Major Ric Cole.

Together, and with US and Dutch involvement, we seek to develop a potent force capable of Defending NATOs Arctic flank, he says.

About 1,000 British troopers will be at Camp Viking. Those already in place face freezing training in temperatures down to minus 25 degrees Celsius, honing their survival skills.

The Brits will also fly in helicopters like the Apache fighting aircraft first tested in Arctic Norway back in 2019.

Against the backdrop of Russias invasion of Ukraine, Norway and European neighbors have raised concerns about Putins Arctic rearmament. Before Putin ordered full-scale war, NATO membership was not on the agenda neither in Helsinki or Stockholm.

A core element duringNordic Response is to train cross-border defense and movement of military hardware between the northernmost parts of Norway, Sweden and Finland.

Air forces will be active with about 100 aircraft. Outside the coast of northern Norway, over 50 submarines, frigates, corvettes, aircraft carriers, and various amphibious vessels will be active, the Norwegian Armed Forces informs.

14 countries take part in Nordic Response with a total of about 20,000 soldiers. Unlike previous NATO exercises in northern Norway, core areas of operations are moved north to the Alta, Lakselv area, with corresponding sailings by warships off the coast of Finnmark.

Although still hundreds of kilometers from the border with Russias Kola Peninsula, the signaling effect to Moscow is not to be mistaken.

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British troops deploy to northern Norway ahead of huge NATO Arctic exercise - The Independent Barents Observer