NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday that they would closely watch the upcoming nuclear exercise by Russia.
Stoltenberg told presspersons, “We have monitored Russian nuclear forces for decades and of
course we will continue to monitor them very closely and we will stay vigilant - also when they now start a new exercise," Reuters quoted him saying.
Stoltenberg said that it was an annual nuclear exercise carried out by Russia during which they test and exercise their nuclear forces. The annual exercise called the Grom exercise is generally conducted by the country in late October during which Russia's nuclear-capable bombers, submarines and missiles are put to test.
"We will monitor that as we always do. And of course, we will remain vigilant, not least in light of the veiled nuclear threats and the dangerous rhetoric we have seen from the Russian
side," Reuters quoted Stoltenberg saying.
Earlier, the NATO Chief said that NATO would go ahead with its nuclear exercise involving 14 of its 30-member countries despite threats from Russian President Vladimir Putin. The exercise, dubbed Steadfast Noon, is held annually and usually runs for about one week.
NATO's exercise involves fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear warheads but does not involve any live bombs. Conventional jets, and surveillance and refuelling aircraft also routinely take part.
