The Norwegian Ministry of Defense has decided to cancel the Cold Response exercises on the background of the threat of a coronavirus infection. This writes The Defense Post with reference to the training center of the Norwegian army operations.
According to the head of the center Rune Jacobsen, the decision was made to cancel the exercises, which were supposed to take part 15 thousand. military personnel of NATO countries. According to him, Norwegian healthcare will have many problems amid the spread of the coronavirus, so there is no need “hang around their neck” also the army.
Coronavirus is out of control. We will prefer to maintain the combat capability of our troops, to be able to support society in the turbulent times ahead
– added Jacobsen.
earlier it was reported, that the Cold Response exercise was to take place with 12 by 18 March this year. They were supposed to take part before 15 thousands of servicemen from dozens of NATO countries and alliance partners, including the US, France, Germany, Great Britain, Belgium and Sweden. The main purpose of this exercise – checking the readiness of NATO troops for “intense clashes in difficult winter conditions”.
The publication notes, that the decision was made against the background of the detection of coronavirus in one soldier of the Armed Forces of Norway last week. Although this is the only case of infection in the Norwegian army, quarantined 240 military personnel from the same unit, where did the sick person serve. On “citizen” things are worse, already recorded there 192 infected Norwegian.
At the same time, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed, that the alliance does not intend to cancel the large-scale Defender-2020 exercises for the transfer of American troops to Europe. The Pentagon itself has already announced a reduction in the number of military personnel, who will take part in these maneuvers.
