MADRID, 18 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Russian Government has accused NATO of violating the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty with the maneuvers that began on Monday, since it involves in some exercises both States with atomic bombs and others that do not have this type of armament.
The Alliance this week began its annual nuclear deterrence maneuvers, which will last until October 30 and will involve fourteen member states. With these exercises, in which real weapons are not used, the aim is to guarantee “that the nuclear deterrent remains safe and effective”, in the words of NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu.
However, the head of the Russian delegation in Vienna in charge of arms control, Konstantin Gavrilov, considers that NATO has violated the treaty “because it involves troops from countries without nuclear weapons” who would share “codes, passwords and aircraft” with countries that they do have these teams, the official Russian media report.
The exercises are taking place this time in Belgium, the North Sea and the United Kingdom and mobilize some 60 aircraft, including fourth and fifth generation fighters, as well as long-range US B-52 bombers.
“The fundamental purpose of NATO’s nuclear capability is to preserve peace, prevent coercion and deter aggression,” Lungescu remarked, noting that “as long as nuclear weapons exist, NATO will remain a nuclear alliance,” although the objective is “create the security environment for a world without nuclear weapons”.