NATO hold their largest exercise a few miles from the Russian border with 50 warships and over 30,000 troops

NATO has started their largest exercise with 50 warships, 200 aircraft and over 30,000 troops a few miles from the Russian border.

The NATO exercise is called “Cold Response” which started in Norway on Monday involving 25 countries which could risk an escalation between Vladimir Putin and the West.

“This exercise is extremely important for the security of Norway and its allies. We will practice an allied reinforcement of Norway”, Norwegian Defence Minister Odd Roger Enoksen.

“It is not being held because of the Russian authorities’ attack on Ukraine, but given the backdrop there is a heightened significance.”

The exercise is to test how the Alliance members can work together should NATO trigger Article 5 meaning all allies will be at war with Russia.

General Yngve Odlo, head of Norway’s Joint Headquarters and in charge of Cold Response said, “I find it totally normal, perhaps now more than ever, to train together to demonstrate our capacity and our willingness to defend.”

The Health Secretary Sajid Javid warned on Monday that if “a single toecap of a Russian soldiers steps into NATO” then we will be at war with Russia.

Javid said, “We’ve been very clear from the start, with our NATO allies, that if there is any kind of attack on NATO territory then it will be war with NATO and there will be a severe response.

“Even if just a single toecap of a Russian soldier steps into NATO territory, then it will be war with Russia and NATO would respond.

“That hasn’t changed throughout this conflict and there would be a significant response from NATO if there was any kind of attack from Russia.

“Our message has been very clear from the start. Any kind of attack, anything that touches NATO territory or impacts NATO in any significant way, then we would respond.”