In NATO, they said the main task of the exercises (Defender Europe 2020) is to develop logistics and interaction between the Allies forces. However, the Russian Ministry of Defense indicates that maneuvers are directed against Russia. Almost all combat missions were practiced at training grounds located in the immediate vicinity of the Russian borders. Objects located on the territory of the Russian Federation were considered as probable targets of defeat.
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about NATO threatening or encircling Russia and the military exercise "Defender-Europe 2020". US Major General Andrew Rohling Deputy Commanding General for the US Army in Europe, informs that the US-led exercise "Defender 2020" is an American exercise with 18 NATO partner countries. Rohling emphasises that the aim of the exercise is not to target any country, but rather to test strategic readiness and how to react to a crisis. Defender Europe 2020 is not aimed against Russia and is defensive in nature. NATO’s secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg affirmed as well that it is not directed against any particular country. Its purpose is to practice the rapid deployment of large-scale forces across the Atlantic into Europe, demonstrating the US military’s ability to quickly send a massive contingent to support NATO and respond to any crisis. See other examples of disinformation about NATO in our database, such as its never-ending provocations, its attempts to block Moscow in its sphere of influence, the Alliance's permanent targeting of Russia and Belarus, its role as a US subjugation tool for other countries and its unreliability to defend its members or its plans to continue attacking other countries.