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NATO to hold nuclear exercise despite Russian warnings
BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO will push ahead with long-planned nuclear exercises next week despite rising tensions over the war in Ukraine and President Vladimir Putin's insistence that he is not bluffing about using all available means to defend Russian territory, NATO Secretary-General Jens...
apnews.com
The exercise, dubbed “Steadfast Noon,” is held annually and usually runs for about one week. It involves fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear warheads but does not involve any live bombs. Conventional jets, and surveillance and refueling aircraft also routinely take part.
Fourteen of the 30 NATO member countries will be involved in the exercise, which was planned before Russia invaded Ukraine in February. The main part of the maneuvers would be held more than 1,000 kilometers (625 miles) from Russia, a NATO official said.
“It would send a very wrong signal if we suddenly now cancelled a routine, long-time planned exercise because of the war in Ukraine. That would be absolutely the wrong signal to send,” Stoltenberg told reporters on the eve of a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.
[...]
Worried UN meets on Ukraine hours after Russian strikes
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly started debating Monday whether to demand that Russia reverse course on annexing four regions of Ukraine — a discussion that came as Moscow's most extensive missile strikes in months alarmed much of the international community anew.
apnews.com
A proposed assembly resolution would demand that Moscow “immediately and unconditionally” scrap its supposed annexations and call on all countries not to recognize them. The measure, spearheaded by the European Union, also would insist upon the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian forces from all of Ukraine’s internationally recognized territory.
Russia’s ambassador decried the debate as a one-sided exercise in pushing an anti-Russian narrative.
“Such cynicism, confrontation and dangerous polarization as today we have never seen in the history of the U.N.,” Nebenzia said. He reiterated his country’s claim that the “referendums” were valid and that Moscow is endeavoring to “protect” people in the regions against what the Kremlin views as a hostile Ukrainian government.
Dozens of nations from Latvia to Fiji argued for the resolution Monday, some speaking via regional organizations. The debate is set to continue Wednesday, and such Russian friends as Syria and North Korea are among countries signed up to speak.
[...]
