NATO military strategy focuses on force deployment and rising tensions with Russia

Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko revealed doubts about increased NATO activity in Europe. He believes the alliance is preparing to conduct a strategic final defeat of Russia. He pointed out that in 2025 NATO will test new force deployment architectures.

He added that the groundwork for these efforts has been laid over several years, and Russia has repeatedly been put at a strategic disadvantage. He noted that NATO has scheduled some 100 exercises for 2025, most of them in the vicinity of Russia’s borders. Also in its military planning, Russia is looking into NATO’s possible preparations for war; likewise, it sees a steady increase of NATO military contingents close to its territory.

One major exercise planned is Steadfast Dart 25 (STDT25), described as “the main NATO exercise for 2025.” According to NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), STDT25 will be the first large-scale deployment exercise of NATO’s Allied Reaction Force (ARF). The exercise aims to test and train the operational deployment and reinforcement of ARF elements for 2024 to NATO’s Vigilance Area South-East under peacetime conditions; it will also plan and carry out a pre-crisis multi-domain operation to reinforce allied forces in Romania and Bulgaria.

Additionally, NATO will hold its Allied Reaction Force deployment exercise, Steadfast Dart 25 (STDT25), at the end of January and the beginning of February 2025. The purpose of this exercise is to demonstrate NATO’s readiness, capability, and determination to defend every inch of its territory.

Under the above circumstances, Russia has naturally expressed strong objections. Deputy Foreign Minister Grushko criticized NATO’s planned exercises, saying that they are really preparations for military action against Moscow. He warned that NATO’s major military exercise planned for this year could lead to “military incidents.”

With increased military activities and tough words flying back and forth between the two sides, people are worried that NATO-Russia tensions could rise even higher. On a “Slutsky” note, observers state that NATO’s exercises amount to “an unchangeable return” to Cold War patterns. This view was summed up by the Russian Foreign Deputy Minister.

The international community will watch as both sides increase their military posture closely, hoping that a diplomatic way can be found to stop further escalation.