NATO's Biggest Air Deployment Drill Triggers Demonstration
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Hundreds of people demonstrated in front of the Wunstorf air base in the Hanover area in Germany on Saturday ahead of the international Air Defender 2023 air force maneuver.
The Air Defender 23 drill, hosted by Germany, will take place from June 12 to 23 and will see 10,000 participants and 250 aircraft from 25 nations in an effort to show off force intended to impress allies and adversaries, CGTN reported.
According to German and American officials, this is the largest deployment exercise of air forces since NATO was formed, and Sweden, which seeks to become a NATO member, and Japan will also take part in the drill.
"It will demonstrate beyond a shadow of a doubt the agility and the swiftness of our allied force in NATO as a first responder," US Ambassador to Germany Amy Gutmann told reporters in Berlin.
However, protesters are concerned that the exercise will send wrong signals to the outside world, especially Russia, and may escalate the ongoing Ukraine crisis. They called for diplomatic solutions to the crisis and a ceasefire.
Some attendees held banners saying, "Down with weapons! No to war! Disarmament now!"
Some 300 people attended the peaceful protest, a police spokesman said.
