NATO Ramstein Alloy exercises begin in Baltic region
On September 26, the NATO Ramstein Alloy air force maneuvers began in the Baltic region. The Ministry of Defense of Estonia reports that one of the objectives of the exercises is to develop cooperation in protecting the airspace of the Baltic States.
The maneuvers will last two days. Military and equipment from Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, the USA, Belgium and Germany, as well as planes from NATO and Britain’s Royal Air Force are taking part in them.
NATO aerial exercises have been held in the Baltic region since 2008. They were named Ramstein Alloy in 2016. The air forces of the Baltic countries and the North Atlantic Alliance are taking part in them.
On September 14-20, Russia and Belarus held the Zapad-2017 military exercises. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, on September 20, during the exercises, two Russian military transport aircraft, which took part in the Russian-Belarusian maneuvers, invaded the airspace of the country. NATO said that the Zapad-2017 exercises testify to Russia’s preparation “for a large-scale war.”